Cain's Little Adventure
by Belle de Luna
Summary: It was only suppose to be a trip back for supplies for DG, but instead he got a spitfire. OC/Cain, Jeb/DG, and slightest hint of Az/Glitch. hope you like it :D
1. Chapter 1

AN: hey, this is my first Tin Man fanfic, and even though i Love DG/Cain pairing, i wanted to add a twist and make my own character.

Disclaimer: i don't own anything, except Billie

The original plan had been to open a travel storm so Cain could go back for some of DG's things. However, in their lives, things almost never went as planned.

Cain was to go alone, just to get a couple of small things, such as pants (DG still refused to wear a dress) and a few paint supplies for her. The storm was suppose to open up near the farmhouse, where the others had. But, at the time when Azkadellia was opening the storm to the right location, Glitch had picked the most imperfect moment to do what he did best, glitch. And since no one noticed the change until after Cain had already jumped, that is how he got here.

He didn't exactly know where here was, but he knew he was on the Other Side, which was not a place he wanted to get lost. He figured he was still in Kansas since there was so much open farmland (at least he assumed, only from what DG had told him). So after sorting out these facts, he picked a direction and started walking, hoping to find someone who could get him to DG's farm.

After about an hour of walking down the highway, he finally heard the roar of a vehicle. He turned around and stuck out his thumb, something he had had to do once or twice in the O.Z. As he watched the truck approached he kept his other hand on his gun just to be safe.

O.O.O.O

She sang along with the song as she always did, drumming on the wheel every so often, on her way home from her not so fabulous job at a little strip club in town. Her old Chevy truck groaned slightly as she pressed up to 75 miles per hour, Billie made a note that she would have to go see Tim at the auto shop soon. She drummed on the wheel a few more times until she noticed something in the road, or rather beside it.

It was a person, a man to be exact, thumb out and waiting for someone to show some courtesy. She slowed to a stop as she neared him, and as she watched him in her rear view mirror she realized that not only was he a man, he was a very attractive man.

He walked up to the window and she gave a nod for him to hop in, as he got in she saw a flash of a full holster at his hip and a string of fear ran through her brain. 'This is why mom always told me to pass hitchhikers by'.

O.O.O.O

He surveyed the driver and the truck as he got in and quickly realized that this very small young girl wasn't a threat. As he took in her manner of dress, he assumed it would be fairly easy to charm her into giving him a ride to his destination. She wore something not unlike what the brothel girls wore back in the O.Z., blue shorts and black shirt, and neither covered much.

"So, where do you need to go, cowboy?" he picked up hints of an accent he couldn't place. She eased the old truck back into a higher speed, and glanced his way as she shifted.

"Well, I'm actually trying to find my niece's farm. DG is her name, know of her?" he smoothly told the young girl a little lie to ensure that she wouldn't question his motives.

He had guessed her age to be about as old as DG, maybe younger, her petite frame gave him the impression of youth.

He had caught the flash of suspicion that captured her face, but he hadn't expected her to slam on the brakes, sending him head first into the dash. If his reflexes hadn't been as good as they were, he would have been close to being unconscious. He caught himself and heard her wrench open the door and scrambled out.

"I'm getting to old for this…" he grumbled as he slide his gun from its holster and got out to see where she went.

"Don't move."

He could feel the cool muzzle of a shotgun pressed against the nape of his neck. His hands went up and his gun hung from his finger, he could easily overpower her, he just needed the opportunity.

"Okay cowboy, who are you really?" she rounded him, while still aiming her quite impressive shotgun at him; her boots clicked slightly on the road and her shorts, he noticed, were much shorter than he realized. Her round face held a look of fearlessness, quite akin to the face he had seen DG wear so many times. Although hers was different, it held a kind of power that he hadn't seen in any other woman.

"I am what I say I am." He simply replied, hoping that she didn't know otherwise. "That's not possible, she doesn't have an uncle. Not one that's as alive and young as you are anyway. So I'll ask again, who are you?" she eyed the gun that dangled on his finger before returning to her death glare.

He sighed and paused for a moment, the gears in his mind working. "I'm not her blood uncle, but I've known her parents for years." It was the truth, though he didn't specify which parents he claimed to know. He was glad that her roborents knew him too.

She narrowed her large green eyes at him and gave him one of those 'I'm not sure I believe the horse shit coming out of your mouth' look, but lowered her gun anyway. Just then, he heard a slightly annoying jingling coming from inside the truck. The girl sighed and nodded her head toward the truck, hinting him to get back in. As he turn she swiftly relieved him of his gun before he even knew it, he mentally kicked himself for underestimating her. He had to admit, she was good, she had seen right through him and had taken his gun before he had a chance to realize it. Something like this hadn't happened to him in annuals.

As they both entered the truck, she strategically placed his gun between her thighs, believing he wouldn't reach for it for the sake of decency, which was true. As she reached for the source of the sound, he realized it was a phone.

"Yes? No, mom, I'm not coming home yet, I'm gonna go stop by DG's place for a few minutes." She paused as he heard an older woman talking loudly on the other end. "Yes, I realize that I haven't talked to her in years, but I need to talk to her parents about someo-… something." She glanced his way and quickly covered up. "Yeah, I got your cigarettes. Yeah, I got the right kind don't worry. Ok, bye." She let out a soft growl and threw the small phone down on the seat.

"So, you do know DG. You two use to be friends?" he watched her carefully, looking for something that would help him, a flicker of trust would be nice, but he knew that wouldn't happen.

"Yeah I knew her, but we weren't friends. I tried being friendly, but that girls a prude if I ever saw one." A small smirk crawled onto her face as her eyes glazed a bit. She finally chanced a look at him and scanned him up and down, raising one eyebrow at his clothing. He mimicked her expression, as if to say 'you have no room to talk'.

"A prude you say? I would think you wouldn't like her because she's too headstrong and gets into trouble a lot." Knowing from experience how much she could get into trouble just by accident.

"Funny you should say that, those are the reasons we got along for the few months that we did. Besides, compared to me, she's a princess." He couldn't help but let out a chuckle from the irony of her words. "I don't know if that's possible, she gets into more trouble in one day then most people could in ten annuals." She shot him a confused look, before looking back to the road. They were coming up on DG's driveway, she wanted to talk to DG's parents before this stranger got a chance to threaten them or something along those lines.

"Well, the difference between me and her is that she's always in trouble by accident. I usually can't help but go look for it." She shot him a grin as they pulled up by the house.

She shut off the truck, picked up Cain's gun from between her legs, and proceeded to unload the bullets out of it before tossing it back to him; slipping the bullets into the front pocket of her very short shorts.

"Hank? Emily?" she called as they got to the porch. As he saw "Hank" DG's robopop approach the door, he realized he didn't know this girl's name, so he perked up his ears and waited.

"Billie? Great Gale, we haven't seen you in years. My…you've grown up." He opened the screen door and ushered her in, but upon seeing Cain his eyes got wide. Cain pressed a finger to his lips, hoping the robot would have enough sense not to mention anything that would give him away. "Mr. Cain, what a pleasant surprise." He smiled and called to his wife.

"Well goodness gracious, Billie you're looking more and more beautiful everyday.

"Mr. Cain?" Emily embraced the young girl named "Billie" and led them to the living room.

"So you do know this man?" he noticed that she was clever enough not to tell them of who he claimed to be. 'She's smarter then I thought…'

"Why yes, Mr. Cain is a very good friend of ours. DG is staying with him for a while."

Emily smiled warmly at the girl, as if to make sure Billie believes her. "DG is doing well, right?" Hank asked with concern. Cain was always a bit amazed at how well they had created the nurture units, there were times when even he forgot they were robots, only for a second though.

He removed his hat before replying. "Yes ma'am, she just asked me to get a few things, I got turned around but thankfully this young lady was kind enough to give me a ride. Thank you kindly, miss, I can find my own way back." He went over to hank and asked him to show him where DG's room was, as he walked away he turned a bit and was about to wave to Billie until he remembered she had his bullets. He cursed under his breath and walked back over to her.

"Can I talk to you outside?" they walked outside and he held out his hand and gave her a hard look. She sighed and dug out all but one of the bullets, as she dumped them into his hand he cleared his throat and glanced meaningfully at her pocket. She put her hands on her hips and smirked at him, expecting him to get it himself. They stared each other down for a few minutes, until finally Cain growled and slid his hand deftly into her pocket, enjoying the shocked look that took over her face. Her already big eyes got wide and sparkled with surprise and her cheeks got the slightest hints of red, then he flashed a victorious smile as he loaded his gun and went back into the house.

She went back to her truck and sat in her seat for a few minutes trying to calm down the flames that licked at her cheeks. 'That man is infuriating!'

O.O.O.O

"Well it was good to see you Mr. Cain. Tell DG that we miss her, and we hope she's doing well." The nurture units stood outside with him as he waited for the storm to come. He nodded and tipped his hat as he felt the wind coming; unfortunately, he didn't even notice that Billie had come back and was coming toward them. As he jumped into the storm, he felt a hand try to drag him back, but that hand and everything attached were sucked in as well.

AN: short? yeah but i'm just getting started. this one was a bit slow but it will get better. i hope. read and review please!


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N: Hello again! here is the next chapter, please let me know if you like it or not.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, excpet Billie. and my twisted little brain.)

He paced, that's all he could really do in this situation, so he paced. He looked over at the young girl once more, wondering if yelling at her would wake her up. He was tempted to yell at her and shake her for being so stupid, she shouldn't have tried to get him out of the storm, she shouldn't be here, and he shouldn't be staring at her overly exposed thighs, but he was only human.

He stalked over to her, threw her limp body over his shoulder, and decided that there wasn't enough time to be nice. He needed to get back to the castle and get her back to the Other Side, and fast. So, without hesitating he threw her into the pond that they had landed near.

He couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him when he heard a shriek come from the now sopping wet and very angry girl. Billie struggled to stand up in the slippery pond and fell twice, only making the Tin man laugh more. He hadn't had this kind of entertainment in many annuals.

She stomped out of the pond after finally finding her balance and marched up to him with fire in her eyes and a plan in her head. His laughter died down into a low chuckle, but his blue eyes still twinkled with heavy amusement. Suddenly she smiled and something in his gut told him he should fear that smile.

Before he could stop her she flew at him and knocked him to the ground, successfully getting him very wet and very unamused. "Alright you've had your fun, now get off so we can start walking." He sat up on his elbows as she straddled his hips.

She ignored his words as she stared up at the suns, she looked around, and then confusion took over her features as she stood up and turned in a circle. 'Shit, now I'm gonna have to explain.'

O.O.O.O

They had been walking for about two hours, and still had another day or two of walking ahead of them. Billie grumbled and growled as she tried to keep up the pace, stumbling yet again over the uneven brick road. She was still having a hard time believing that all this was real, even though she had plenty of proof. The faded yellow brick road beneath her feet, the two suns bearing down on her and the very different atmosphere that was around here.

"Hurry up, kid. We haven't got all day." She continued to grumble as she jogged to keep up with his long strides. 'If he calls me kid one more time…' She sent him a glare and shoved her hands in her pockets.

She was thankful that she had worn her cowboy boots today instead of her heeled ones. Now she was wishing she could be anywhere but here, hell she would even pull a double shift at the strip club, just to be somewhere else. "Hey, Slave driver! I need a break; we've been walking for hours."

"It hasn't been that long, and no, we're not taking any breaks yet." He knew he was being a bit cruel, considering she wasn't use to this kind of work, or at least that's what he assumed from all her grumbling and stumbling, but he wanted to get back before DG got herself into trouble again.

He heard her grumble something and he smiled a little and continued walking.

"I knew there was a reason why I hate cops."

O.O.O.O

It had been almost six months since the eclipse and everyone who had been loyal to the witch, had been captured within two of those months. There was still the occasional group of resisters, but they were being taken care of by some of the Queens hand selected fighters, Jeb being one of them.

Cain knew they would be nearing Jeb's camp soon, there they would rest and eat and then get back on the road. He heard yet another thump, thinking that the clumsy girl had fallen again, he sighed and turned around but he saw Billie face first in the dirt, not moving. He rushed to her and noticed a dart sticking out of her shoulder. He took out the dart and picked her up, they weren't far from the camp, he would just have to carry her the rest of the way.

Thankfully, she was lighter then he thought so he easily carried her as he jogged to get to safety. "Jeb!" Some of the fighters around him shot him strange looks and others recognized him.

"Father? What are you doing here? Who's that?" Jeb came closer, glanced over his father's shoulder, and noticed something. "Resisters!" Jeb called for the medic and pointed Cain toward a tent, then headed off to assist.

"I don't know if the dart was poisonous or not." He laid Billie down onto the cot and stepped back. He didn't know her very well but he at least wanted to get her back to the Other Side safely. He heard people shouting and decided to go and help as best he could.

O.O.O.O

As Billie awoke she felt a strong sense of vertigo, she put a hand to her head and tried to sit up. As bile rose in her throat, she realized that the room spun less when she was lying down. She leaned over the side of the cot and found a bucket just waiting for her. Cain picked that moment to pass by the tent and overheard someone retching, violently.

After the first round of vomit got out of her system, she felt someone pull back her long blond hair. She felt a hand begin to rub her back as another round of heaves racked through her body. "I don't think I've ever seen so much vomit come out of such a small body." She heard the disgust in Cain's voice; she sat up and wiped her mouth, thankful that the room decided to stay still.

"Oh, I'm like the barfing queen, I can gross out just about anyone with my rare talent."

She smiled warily at him; at first, she had felt sleepy, now she felt like death warmed over, well more like death defrosted. "What, the talent of coming close to throwing up your own stomach?"

"Yup, that would be the one. So is there a reason why I feel like I should be six feet under?" she laid back down as he got up to wet a rag for her. "You were shot with a soporific dart. It tends to have some rough side effects; you'll be over it in a few hours."

"What are the other side effects?" Instead of having the rag on her forehead where he had placed it, she moved it to the back of her neck. "Well, there's dizziness, which you already know of, you might also see some spots or bright flashes and you might be a bit short of breath. That's all I can think of, you should be fine." He flashed a grin before walking back out of the tent.

'This should be loads of fun.' That was her last thought as she slipped into blissful sleep.

O.O.O.O

"It was nice to meet you Jeb, let's hope we never meet again." She smiled at him and stunned him with a wink. He laughed nervously and just nodded.

As she and Cain started walking, Billie made sure to sway her hips a bit more than usual, she had always loved teasing men, it was fun to see them drool over what they can't have, and that was one of the reasons why she became a stripper.

"We've got about another day of walking and then you can go back to where you belong." He glanced at her, making sure she wasn't gonna puke again. "Yes! Then I'll be away from crazy people with darts and grumpy old cops with a stick up there ass the size of Florida's pan handle." She smirked, not even realizing that her reference to an American state was lost on him.

"Yeah, because it's so fun to babysit a girl who could trip over a flee." He scowled at her. She stuck out her tongue and started walking, leaving him to chuckle at her immaturity.

Striding to catch up with her, he looked up ahead at her and decided to indulge for once; he watched her hips sway from side to side with her angry strides. He noticed that her hair just brushed the top of her shorts; it also held streaks of green, blue, purple, and red, the colors faded into one another like a rainbow under a layer of white blonde. 'I never thought I would meet anyone who gets on my nerves more than DG.'

O.O.O.O

'I'm gonna kill him.'

He yelled at her to hurry up yet again and continued to march up ahead of her. He had been doing this for three hours, and she had to pee, but she didn't Dare tell him that. He would probably bite her head off for suggesting that they make a pit stop.

'I'm gonna kill him.'

After another half hour, and many more murderous thoughts towards the Tin man, she resisted the urge to wet herself. "Stop!" He stopped and turned to look at her, it was clear that stopping was the last thing he wanted to do.

"I am about to wet myself, so will you please stop long enough for me to go take a piss?" She was tired and hungry and more than a little frustrated, and once she was his head incline just the slightest, she ran straight for a tree she had been eyeing.

"Come on kid! We need to hurry up!" She grunted as a response and pulled her shorts back up, wishing she had a rubber band or a string or something that would get her hair off her neck. She had bleached her hair to a lighter shade of blonde when she went to get her job at the club, before it had been dirty blonde, almost light brown, now it was almost white; she was proud of it.

"Come on kid!"

"Why must you be such an ass?"

"Why must you whine so much?"

"Ass..."

'I'm gonna kill him.'

"Do you happen to have any string? I'd like to hang myself." He looked at her with an odd look, as if she had just grown a third leg. He dug in his pockets and came up with nothing. "You could always just take a stroll threw the fields of the Pahpay." He threw her a look that told her that he wouldn't exactly stop her.

She scowled and kept walking; keeping an eye out for anything that could get her hair of her sweaty neck, short of cutting it that is. It was another hot and grueling hour before something caught her eye.

She ran over to what looked to be a torn piece of cloth stuck in the bushes, she picked it out of the leaves and looked for a place to rip it. Billie heard Cain come up behind her and she threw a triumphant smile over her shoulder, then took a corner and ripped a strip from the cloth, and continued to do so. She got eleven strips from it and pocketed nine of them.

Billie put her hair up as she walked, because if she dared to stop for too long, Mr. Tight Ass would probably yell at her again. She rapped the first strip around her high ponytail and tied the second around it just to be safe. She sighed happily and jogged to catch up with the long legged Cain.

"Are you done playing with your hair yet, kiddo?"

'I'm gonna kill him.'

(A/N: Ta Da!)


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Hello my little killer care bears! here is another chapter for your entertainment! have fun! and don't be afraid to tell what you think about it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Billie. and my stylish yet afordable shoes.)

As night fell, they approached the castle, the guards gave her a funny look but tipped their hats to her and Cain anyway. 'Thank God! Now I don't have to kill him in his sleep with his own gun.' She happily, yet tiredly walked beside Cain, her rainbow colored ponytail swaying behind her.

As they walked in, a tall and slightly gangly man with a scar in the middle of his head came running up to them. "Cain! Your back! By the way, that travel storm wasn't entirely my fault." His smile faltered a bit upon seeing Billie, but it returned full force as he glided past Cain to introduce himself.

"Hello, I'm Gli- I mean Ambrose. And you are?" She raised an eyebrow, but took his offered hand anyway; upon doing so, he smoothly bowed and gave her knuckles a small kiss. "I'm Billie; I got caught up in said storm with the Nazi over there." She tilted her head towards Cain and gave him a scowl.

The man called Ambrose, got a confused look, but shook it off as he heard footsteps. "Cain!" Billie watched as the DG she use to know, threw a hug around the man she now deemed 'The Nazi'. She stood back and watched as the three chatted away and noticed a man covered in fur walked up to the group and placed a hand on Cain's shoulder.

Almost immediately, the furry man's gaze locked on her, and everyone else's soon followed, DG gasped and turned to Cain with a look of betrayal. "Why is she here? What are you doing here, Billie?" She didn't wait for Cain to respond as she turned to question the girl herself.

"Look, I don't want to be here, it was an accident. I saw the storm and saw this idiot standing in its way and so naturally I thought it would be a good idea to save him from it. Silly me, I didn't know it was a magical freaking storm." Cain growled at her for referring to him as an idiot when she was the one that was sucked into the O.Z.

Ambrose suggested that they all went to the kitchen since they could all hear Billie's stomach grumbling, she smiled gratefully at him and followed them to the largest kitchen she had ever seen. Ambrose and the furry man who she had learned was called 'Raw' went to get some food while DG, Cain and Billie all stood in uncomfortable silence.

"So, why were you at my farm anyway?" she turned an accusatory glare toward Billie.

"Well I was coming back from work-"

"Still working at that sleazy strip club I assume?"

Billie returned her glare tenfold. "Yes, I was on my way back from my sleazy job that brings in ten times more money then waiting tables, and I saw your boy, Cain here, on the side of the road with his thumb out. So I decided to be nice and give him a lift." By now, the tension between the two girls was thick enough to cut with Cain's straight razor. Ambrose and Raw returned and looked at Cain, who had backed up a bit, but remained close, in case the two decided to tear into each other.

"Oh, so you figured you'd give him a 'ride'. Is that it?" DG was clearly referring to the more crude meaning of the word.

"Yeah that's it, since I happen to strip for a living means that I bone everything with the right parts. Jesus, DG, you haven't changed a bit have you?" Billie stood there, hands on her hips, with a fire in her eyes that rivaled even Cain's glare. Raw looked down at his feet and shuffled a bit, his blush almost visible underneath his fur, and Ambrose suddenly found the ceiling very interesting. "Just because I still have my self respect doesn't mean I haven't changed. See now I found my family, my real family, and my real home, and unlike you they have always wanted me back." Cain didn't exactly know what DG meant by those words but it was clear that she had struck a cord in Billie; her eyes got wide with fury and something he knew all to well, that deep sorrow that never went away.

All of them expected her to run away crying, since that's what most women did when they were wounded, but instead she took two short steps and slapped DG before Cain could react, her hand raised again to deliver another blow, but Cain caught her wrist this time. As her green eyes locked with his, he almost took a step back, he hadn't seen fury like that since he had been locked in that suit, and back then it was his own fury that he had seen.

She wrenched her wrist from him and brushed past all of them, making her way back to the door they had come in. She threw the door open and was about to walk out until she heard someone clear their throat, she almost ignored it, almost.

"And who might you be?"

She turned to see a beautiful women standing not far from her, she had long dark hair and cat like green eyes. "She's no one, Az. Let her leave, she doesn't belong here anyway." The woman known as Az, turned to DG with surprise, she had never heard her sister be so cold before.

"Billie, wait! DG, your right she doesn't belong here, she belongs on the Other Side, at least let us send her back, if she stays here she'll most likely get killed." DG was still glaring daggers at the girl, but nodded her head in agreement.

"Don't take to long sending her back, or else she might stab you in the back." With that, the princess stormed off.

They all watched her go, and then turned their gazes to Billie who still stood at the open door, looking as if she could kill someone at any second.

O.O.O.O

They decided to wait a day before sending Billie back, since they still had to fix the coordinates; they all sat in the library, near the fire, in once again an uncomfortable silence. DG had declined the offer to lounge with them because of Billie being in the room.

"So what exactly did you do to my sister?" Az questioned the girl, wanting to know the reason behind her baby sister's cold demeanor the day before. Billie had been starring into the fire for some time now, if she had heard Az's question, she gave no indication. She just clutched the cup she had been given, not yet taking a sip from it, and continued to stare into the flames.

Cain nudged her shoulder with his knee, she had been sitting on the floor near his legs for almost an hour and a half, if it had been him, his butt would have gone numb already. "Did you hear her, kid?" It almost felt wrong to keep calling her 'kid' because a child could never possess the anger that he had seen in her eyes, that was the kind of suppressed rage that it took years to build up. He watched, as her eyes once again got glassy as if she was remembering something that had been long forgotten.

_DG stormed out of the room with Billie close behind her._

"_How could you! You knew what he meant to me! Why, why would you do that?" DG shouted loud enough for all the guests in the house to hear, it had been her sweet sixteen party._

"_You don't understand! It wasn't like that! Please just let me explain!" DG was too mad to notice Billie's right eye was swollen and was already starting to bruise and her bottom lip was split down the middle._

"_No! I've seen enough already! Get out of my house; I don't want to see your face Ever again!" _

Billie quickly swiped away a tear before it had a chance to make it to her cheek, then she took in a deep breath and decided that if DG wanted to make her the bad guy, then so be it, she deserved it.

"I screwed her boyfriend at her birthday party." She could feel all their eyes turn to her in horror, she knew what they were all thinking, but Billie didn't dare correct them, no one had believed her then, why should they now?

Cain's eyes narrowed; there was something in her emotionless reply that didn't sit right with him. He heard a huff come from behind them and turned to see DG standing there with her arms crossed while glaring holes into the back of Billie's head.

"So you do remember? And here I thought he was just another notch in your bedpost." She scoffed and smirked with satisfaction as they all heard Billie suck in a breath, as if she had just been hit in the gut. She stood, set the cup down, and strode over to DG, with Cain hot on her heels, to make sure that there would be no hitting of the princess this time.

"You want to play it that way, fine. Here goes. Yeah, I screwed him until his eyes crossed, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I had been screwing him for months, we had thought you would have figured it out by then but apparently your too dense to notice that once he knew you weren't gonna give it up, he decided to look elsewhere. There, that's what you wanted to hear isn't it?" She calmly looked into DG's eyes, her stance was tense while still trying to look casual, hands in her pockets.

Cain knew instantly that she was lying straight threw her teeth, but somehow DG didn't pick up on it. She was to busy absorbing the false knowledge to bother noticing. The others were about to start yelling at Billie, but Cain stopped them by holding a hand in front of them.

None of them had expected DG to start punching the girl; they both hit the ground and DG just kept punching blindly as tears fell down her cheeks. At once, they all noticed that Billie was not fighting back, not even trying to block the blows. Cain pulled her off and took her to her room as the others just stared down at the broken blond that just laid on the floor, staring at the unforgiving ceiling.

After debating whether they should help her or not, Ambrose finally lifted the girl with ease and carried her back down to the kitchen. Raw and Az soon followed, Az now wanted to tear into this girl for putting her little sister in pain, but Raw knew more than he was letting on, he had sensed the girls lies as well as her submission long before DG had thrown her punches.

Ambrose tossed her a wet rag to clean the blood off with, the coldness in his eyes clearly shown that he was all Ambrose at the moment, no Glitch in sight. She stared at the floor as she cleaned her face of the cuts and bruises she now had, and knew that they were angry.

'They have a right to be, I haven't done anything to deserve their kindness or their hospitality.' Billie was surprised when she felt a hand clutch her shoulder, and then suddenly pain and memories flooded through her, by this time Cain and a now calmer DG had entered the kitchen.

Raw put his hand on the mirror that wasn't to far from them and images filled its glassy surface.

_ Billie looked to be about eight and was being shoved into a car by a tall blond man that had her eyes. A shorter blond woman with brown eyes watched in satisfaction as her husband drove away with the evil child she had the misfortune of giving birth to._

_In the car, Billie's father looked at her through the rear view mirror and started to scold her. "This is your fault you know, if you had just done what you were told, I wouldn't have to be doing this." The car came to a stop and panic set in, as Billie watched her father get out of the car with a crowbar in hand. He yanked her out and threw her to the ground, she saw that they were on a bridge, and she knew exactly what was coming to her._

_Once she stood, she was thrown back down by the hook of the crow bar sinking into left her shoulder, she cried out as he removed it and just as he was about to swing it again, she jumped up and used his position in front of the ledge to push him off._

_She walked over to the edge, after hearing a thud, and looked down at her father's lifeless eyes, and she did the only thing she could think of, she ran._

_The next image was of Billie in DG's house, in the bathroom, she was staring at the ugly scar that the crowbar had made, when the door suddenly opened._

"_Oh, hey I didn't know anybody was in here. Oh, well. I guess we'll just have to get along cause it seems that the door is stuck." A boy no older then seventeen, with a letterman's jacket on, turned to lock the door. Billie backed up and glanced at the window, hoping that maybe he was just playing a trick on her or something. His face suddenly held a look of complete malice and she knew exactly what was coming to her._

_He advanced on her and grabbed a hold of her blond ponytail- _

"Stop!" Billie shoved the viewer away and shakily stepped away.

"You don't get to do that! I'm supposed to be the bad guy here!" Tears had long since begun to falls from her green eyes, but she just wiped them away. Everyone looked as if they had just seen the witch arise from the dead, all eyes on the trembling girl in the corner.

DG took a step toward her but stopped when Billie tried to back farther into the corner, this was not how she wanted it to go, she wanted them to hate her, and she wanted them to want her to leave. She never wanted the pity that shown bright and painful in each set of eyes. She closed her eyes, and took several deep breaths, trying to regain her composure.

She stood to her full height and opened her eyes again, a fierce look in her eyes that had taken years to master, she strode away from the group, and went to find somewhere to hide. She couldn't take their pity much longer.

(A/N: i didn't mean to make DG such a bitch, but i wanted my story to be a little different than everyone elses.

read and review please!)


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: yet another chapter for you! my fans! ...who happen to have pitchforks?

Disclaimer: once again...i do not own anything except Billie.)

Cain had searched high and low for that damn girl, and he had yet to find her. After she left the kitchen, the rest of them stood there and soaked in this new information, DG looked like she was blaming herself for it all. Sure none of them knew Billie well, or at all, but they still felt bad for her.

Az had comforted DG as Cain went to hunt the girl down. He loved DG like she was family, but not everything was about or because of her.

As he passed a continuous hall of bedrooms, he heard shuffling to his left, and silently pressed his ear to the door.

"God, you're stupid! You should have just stayed away from that damned farm and then you would have stayed in Kansas, and no one would have known about….dad." he heard something hit the wall and decided now was the time to intervene her little self berating.

He knocked and opened the door without waiting for a response; she was standing in the middle of the room, staring at the wall, clutching her left shoulder. "You're not the bad guy."

That was all he had needed to say to unleash the torrent of tears. She crumbled to the floor, sobs raked across her body as she clutched her shoulder even tighter, trying to bring the pain back, thinking she deserved it.

He knew all to well that when you blamed yourself for something, and held that in, it eventually led to self hate, which led to this. He kneeled down and slowly embraced her, but she pushed at him and then began to pound her little fists on his chest. It hurt a little but he didn't care, he knew this was needed. He had went threw something like this himself, but since it had happened inside that suit, he hadn't had a proper purging like she was going threw.

"I'm the bad guy! I deserved it! He is dead because of me! Because of me…" Her pounding slowed to a stop as a new wave of tears came, he brought into his lap and just sat there, alternating between stroking her hair and her back, telling her what he had wanted to hear when he went through this.

This was a proper purging, the purging of all the blame and hate that you heap onto yourself over the annuals, flushing it out of your system. It was difficult and painful, but a necessary process. His had been a bit more gradual than this, it first started when he was in the suit, and then it continued after DG released him, that was when he truly learned to stop hating and stop blaming himself.

After she finally calmed down, she crawled out of his lap and sat in front of him. "You okay, kiddo?" he said it so gently that she almost didn't hear him. She nodded and wiped the moisture from her face. "Thank you." The smile that curved her lips was one he hadn't seen before, it wasn't forced and it reached her eyes this time and it was meant just for him.

He stood and helped her to her feet, noticing how tired she looked, and kept a hand on her back just in case. "Come on, kiddo, the others want to talk to you." He opened the door and saw her small smile of amusement. "You do realize that I'm 24, right? I haven't been a kid in a while." His eyes went wide; he hadn't thought she was older than DG, especially not by four years. 'Well at least now I don't feel as much like a dirty old man.'

O.O.O.O

After exchanging apologies and agreeing to start over, they all sat by the fireplace once more, this time they were laughing over some story that Billie and DG were telling.

"Well, at least we didn't have Gulch on our tails that time. I swear that man would have done anything to see us go to jail." Billie chuckled as she remembered her and DG's several run ins with that awful prick. She was glad to have her friend back, or at least her potential friend. Billie still wasn't sure if things would ever be fully repaired, but she hoped that they would find a way to get along.

"Do you remember that time we snuck out and stole your uncle's truck?" DG asked as she smiled at the memory. "Oh, yeah. We went to a party that night, oh man, most of what I remember was puking my guts out and then the cops showed up. We had to hide in the loft of this old barn for three hours, we were so sure we were gonna get caught. I remember, we were laying up there and DG suddenly found something extremely funny, she almost got us caught." Cain watched with a grin as the girls giggled and smiled.

"I was only laughing because you kept trying to tell me about animal crackers, and how the monkeys were always French and always had pants on, and you were like 'and the hippo is like "where are my pants? I have my hippo dignity"' you just kept whispering about it. Sad thing is you were starting to sober up at that point." Billie barked out a laugh as she too remembered telling her about the animal crackers. "Yeah, I bet you would have found it funnier if you had grown balls enough to drink with me." Billie and DG stuck out their tongues at each other and giggled some more.

The door swung open and one of the engineers walked up to Az and whispered something in her ear, she nodded and thanked him as he left. "Well it looks like we'll be able to open a storm in the right place now, you should land right next to DG's farm." she looked at Billie and DG and decided for them that they deserved another day. "But we won't have enough energy for another travel storm until tomorrow." She smiled at the way their eyes lit up and they grinned at each other. Ambrose raised an eyebrow at her but she just answered with a wink, she just wanted to see her sister happy.

O.O.O.O

As the night wore on, one by one the inhabitants of the library went to bed, Cain being the last besides the two girls who were still reminiscing. As he stood and stretched, DG saw Billie's eyes were discreetly glued to his form, her lips spread into a small smirk. "You girls might want to move this to your bedroom princess, the fires dying. Did you want me to show Billie a guest room?" DG shook her head, Cain helped them stand, and they walked to the door, DG trailing a bit behind to watch the two interact.

"So old man, when are you gonna let me hold that gun of yours?" She teased him with a double meaning, his eyes widened a fraction, and then he smirked. "Soon as you can handle it without gettin' hurt, kiddo." He winked and opened the door for them. As they parted ways, DG could see a bit of a blush creeping up onto Billie's cheeks, she smiled and knew exactly what was going on.

"So…Wyatt Cain, huh? He's a whole lot of man." She laughed at the look on Billie's face, one of shock and embarrassment. "I don't know what your talking about." She smoothly regained her composure and tried to make it look like she really didn't know what she was suggesting.

"Besides I thought you and he had a thing for each other." DG blushed, ducked her head, and quietly gave her reply. "Wrong Cain"

"Oh, wow I didn't expect that. Although I have to admit, Jeb is very easy on the eyes. To young for me but for you I would say go for it. Has he shown interest?" She watched the younger girl nod and smile. "Than what's stopping you from mauling him once he gets back, he is coming back here right?" She nodded again. "Then what's stopping you."

"The other Cain." Billie laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about the old man; I'll sway him into being alright with it. I met him four days ago and I've already got him rapped around my little pinky." She held up her little pinky for emphasis, making DG laugh once more.

"So…you're sure old man Wyatt is fair game?" Billie didn't want to go down that road again, even if the first time wasn't quiet the same. "Definitely, you go for it that old Tin man needs to get laid. I think his girdle is laced too tight." Billie shoved her lightly and giggle along with the young princess.

Behind the door, Cain had been passing by and heard the tail end of the girl's conversation.

"….I think his girdle is laced to tight." Then he heard profuse giggling. He walked away with a scowl; he knew exactly what they had meant. 'So they think I'm old and too up tight. Well so much for that hope.' He stomped away to his room, slamming the door, and shed his hat, coat, holster, and vest; he unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt and started pacing.

'Oh, please, did you really think a young beautiful free spirited girl like Billie would want a stuffy old Tin man? Yeah I didn't think so. Besides, it's too soon. You shouldn't even be thinking about this.' He plopped down into a chair and held his head in his hands, still arguing with himself. 'She's the complete opposite of Adora. Adora always held this air about her, an air of innocence and sweetness. While Billie was seductive and wild, she could break a man with one sway of those round hips, in fact that's her job isn't it?' He growled at himself. 'She seduces men for a living; she's one step up from a brothel girl; she's around men all day long, younger men, men who had more to offer her.'

He had been so busy arguing with himself, he didn't even notice when the door to his room opened, and the very thing he was arguing with himself about, silently tip toed in. She stopped in front of him and just waited until he was done grumbling to himself. Billie was a bit surprised at what she heard little snippets of what he was grumbling about.

"...you stupid old fool, she's young and beautiful with her whole life ahead of her, your just a dirty old man who's already lived his life..." His head sunk deeper into his palms.

Her eyes softened at this, she knelt in front of him and placed her hands over his; his head shot up in surprise, and his eyes caught hers. Then suddenly he took his hands away, stood and walked to the other side of the room. "What are you doing in here? Do you make a habit out of coming into men's bedrooms?" That had come out a bit harsher than he had meant it to be.

She stood, knowing that he was trying to push her, make her storm, make her go away, but what he didn't know is that she couldn't, it was obvious that he was still blaming and hating himself, no matter what he said. She caught his shoulder and made him turn toward her. "Oh, you stupid old man." She gave him a soft smile even when she could see the anger in his eyes she still smiled.

"So not only am I old, I'm stupid too. Is that it?" His eyes burned into hers but lost there fire a bit when she just shook her head a giggled. "Yes, you're stupid and old and completely hopeless." She pulled his head down to her own and their lips pressed together. His arms soon found their way around her waist and hers around his neck and shoulders; he slid his lips against hers and his tongue brushed her bottom lip, her lips parted and they began to explore the caverns of each other's mouths.

Barely coming up for air the two continued, never wanting it to end, and by then Billie had backed Cain up against the wall. He broke away and trialed kisses along her jaw line, slowly working his way down her throat. She decided to turn the tables and took his earlobe into her mouth, nibbling on it before pressing a kiss the shell of his ear. She smirked as he groaned, but was suddenly pressed against the wall, Cain's mouth once again on hers and his hands grabbed a hold of her thighs and lifted her until her legs wound around his waist.

He pressed his pelvis into hers; she gasped and broke the kiss. "Whoa, cowboy. Didn't think a man you're age had all that in him." She grinned and ground her hips into his; he grunted and pressed into her again. "You'd be surprised what a man my age can do. Especially a man like me." He winked at her and went in for another kiss, when the door beside them flew open.

"Cain, I need your he-….. Did we interrupt something?" DG, Ambrose and Raw stood in the doorway, eyeing their compromising position. Billie's legs fell from his waist and the both straightened blushes very evident on both of them. DG stifled a chuckle and gave Billie a meaningful glance at the buttons on her shorts. Billie looked down and quickly buttoned them back up; she playfully glared at Cain and gave him a smack in the stomach. "Dirty old man…" Billie muttered as they walked out of the room.

……………..

(A/N: and there you have it, it was a little quick, yeah. But I couldn't help myself, I wanted some smexyness :3

Anywho, read and review please!)


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N: hello! here's chapter five, its a little longer but i'm trying to make each chapter longer and longer. hope you like it.

Disclaimer: i do not own anything, except Billie. and my big pink stuffed mouse )

Ambrose and Az were about to explain what the problem was with the travel storm, when they all heard an explosion ring out, Ambrose took Az by the hand and went to check on her parents. Cain was shepherding DG and Billie into DG's bedroom for safety when everything started to shake. The huddled in the doorframe waiting it out, when they heard screams and shouts coming from outside.

"You two stay in here, barricade the door, and stay away from the windows. I'll be back soon." Cain took out his gun and moved to leave, Billie grabbed his hand and pressed a kiss to his lips, and then he left. DG grabbed Billie's hand and led her away from the door, then began push furniture up against it.

…………

"So you want to tell me what's going on here?" Cain yelled to Ambrose who was currently sheltering Az, they had been on their way to get the Queen and Ahamo, but the place started to shake again. "It's resisters as far as I can tell! They think that Az is still the witch, from what I've heard they think we keep her locked away. So I guess they've come to free her." Cain motioned for them to start running as they heard resisters pound on the doors.

The Queen and Ahamo had been sleeping when all the commotion started; they were now running towards Cain. "Azkadellia, are you alright?" she nodded and embraced her mother. "We need to get you three to safety. Follow me!"

………….

"So you're telling me he left us here without weapons!" Billie was now furious and scared, and now she had no way to protect herself or DG. She had begun to pace to give her anger an outlet, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. The closet door had suddenly opened, not much, but enough to notice; she started toward it cautiously, and just when she reached for the handle, it swung open, and knocked her back.

"DG! Run!" A figure was standing over her when the lights went out. She heard DG scream and felt someone's arm go around her; she was pulled from the ground roughly. She kicked her assailant in the shin and struggled to get away, kicking and twisting, trying to get free. She kicked once more, not knowing where her foot landed, and finally she got loose; she ran to where she had heard DG screaming but was knocked to the ground when someone's arm cloths lined her.

Billie groaned as pain shot through her spine, then she felt a slight pain in her neck, her hand reached up and felt a dart sticking out. Taking it out, she groaned "Oh, not again…" She was hauled up and was being carried over someone shoulder as blackness overtook her.

……………

They finally reached DG's door and Cain proceeded to pound on it. "DG! Billie! Open up it's just us!" He pounded again, and then pressed his ear to its surface. When he heard nothing he stepped back and kicked at the door, kicking at it until he felt it budge. "Glitch help me open this!" They pushed until the door was open enough for Cain to get through, he stepped around the settee that had been shoved against the door, pointing his gun ahead of him, and looked around, stepping further into the room, his boot hit something and it slid across the floor. He looked closer and picked it up, growling he went back out to the others.

"They've got them." He held up a dart, identical to the one he had pulled out of Billie's shoulder just days ago. He threw it down, angry with himself for not only letting Billie get taken but also letting the princess, whom he had sworn to protect, get taken as well. As he heard the yelling fade away, he realized that the bombs and the near invasion were just a distraction, and he had fallen for it.

……………

"Billie, wake up." DG shook her shoulders once more; she had been trying to wake her up for what seemed like an hour. She sighed and sat back against the wall of their cell, there were no windows, and the walls were stone, some of the stones stuck out more than others and the only way out was the door on the other side of the room. Thankfully, there was a small lantern in the corner; it gave off a minimal amount of light.

DG closed her eyes, hoping that this was all a dream, but as she heard retching coming from the older girl, she knew this was not some nightmare. DG went over to her and pulled her rainbow hair away from her mouth as her heaving kept on. She knew Billie was down to stomach acid by now and rubbed the older girls back as Billie's body convulsed once more.

Billie nausea finally subsided and she laid her head DG's lap, trying to catch her breath. She sat up once she felt her body return to normal, looking around she heaved a sigh of defeat. "I'm sorry DG. I should have fought harder; I'm just new to this whole 'being taken hostage thing'." Billie sat next to the princess, back against the wall, silently thankful for its cool surface.

"It's not your fault, take it from someone who knows, none of this is your fault." Billie looked at her cellmate and was curious as to what she meant. "If I had just stayed away from that damn cave, none of would have happened. The witch wouldn't have escaped, Az wouldn't have been possessed, Cain wouldn't have lost his wife, Mother wouldn't be as weak as she is, Father wouldn't have had to leave, Glitch would have kept his brain, all those people wouldn't have suffered. All of that, all of this wouldn't have happened if I had just stayed away from that cave." By then DG had already dissolved into tears. Billie wrapped an arm around her old friend, she hadn't known exactly what happened or how Az had become possessed, Cain had only given her minimal details, but she no longer wanted to know.

When she couldn't handle the sobs that ripped through her friend any longer; she had always been stronger than anyone else Billie knew, Billie let go and kneeled in front of her, taking DG's tear stained face in both her hands she made the princess look at her.

"Look at me, no, look at me! You have to stop this right now!" She wasn't angry at DG for breaking down like this, even now, when she needed to be levelheaded, no, Billie was angry at her for not realizing that things that big, would always find a way of happening, it was no one's fault. "DG, stop! All those things that have happened; all those things that you blame yourself for; they were not your fault!"

DG's sobs grew louder as she shook her head, she didn't want to believe it, she knew all this was her fault. "No! It is my fault! It's all my fault!" She pushed Billie away and curled up into the corner of the cell. Billie would not stand for this, she was now wondering if this is how they had seen her not even two days ago. She grabbed DG wrists and dragged her out of the corner, but DG collapsed in the middle of the room, sobbing, on her knees as if it was the end of the world.

"Stop it! Look at yourself! You are a Princess! You are the one who saved this place! No matter what you believe, this did not all happen because of you! That witch would have found a way out no matter what! All of this would have found a way of happening even if you hadn't gone into that cave! However, what's done is done; you have to focus on what's happening now! And what's happening is that we are going to die unless you pull yourself together! Crying over what happened isn't going to do anyone any good!" DG's sobs had quieted but she was still a crumpled heap in the middle of the floor, her shoulders still shook. Billie let go of her wrists and gently took the girl's face, making her look Billie in eyes.

"You are the princess, people look to you for strength. Your family wouldn't want you to blame yourself. If it hadn't been your sister, it would have been someone else. What if it had been your mother, then none of us would be here. Wallowing over the past won't do your future any good, so stop blaming yourself and be the strong princess that you are." DG looked down, still looking broken and Billie just backed away and sighed. She knew that look; she had seen it in the mirror too many times to miss it, it was the look of overwhelming defeat. She sat back against the wall and watched as the strong woman she use to know turned into a scarred little girl.

Even though she didn't know the whole situation, she had seen enough to know that everything she just said wasn't going to get through to DG. She was too tired and too broken to hear a word her friend said; Billie had seen the exhaustion in the young girl's eyes.

DG crawled back over to the corner and sat their, back turned to the door, eyes closed and silently crying. Billie too closed her eyes as she tried to think of a way out of the cell that now seemed too quiet.

……………

Cain urged the horse to go faster as he mentally kicking himself for letting the girls get captured, but he knew that if he didn't get some back up, he wouldn't be able to help them. He once again tried to urge the horse faster, wanting to make it to the camp before daybreak.

The Queen, Ahamo and Azkadellia were all back at the castle, with Glitch and Raw and the royal guards watching over them, the last thing he needed was for the rest of the royal family to get capture as well.

It was another half hour before he made it to the camp, and when he did, it seemed that they already knew the situation, he gave them all the details and looked to his son. "Jeb, these people are serious. I don't think they'll hesitate to kill DG if they don't get their way." He didn't miss the fear and rage that passed over his son's face, he hadn't been aware of DG and Jeb's feelings but he did have his suspicions, and that look only confirmed them.

"There's something else. You remember that girl that I passed through here with?" Jeb nodded and almost grinned at the memory, he had seen that spark between the two before they even had a clue. Jeb knew that his father still loved his mother, but he also knew that he deserved to be happy; Adora Cain was in a better place, and she would want her family to be happy no matter what.

"They got her too; I don't know if they'll bother to keep her alive, she's not a part of the royal family." Jeb nodded and was about to say something until he got a pensive look on his face. "What is it?" Jed just shook his head and led his father to his tent. Jeb's face broke out into a grin as he turned back to Cain.

"I think I've got a plan."

………………

DG had been asleep for over two hours, or so Billie assumed since there was no way to tell the time of day or even if it was day or not, but she couldn't let herself relax enough to sleep. She had been thinking about their circumstances and she found that she was starting to fear for her life. DG was the princess, they would keep her alive to ensure their demands would be met, whatever those demands were, but Billie was just some girl that had been in the way, they had no reason to keep her alive. Which led her to question why she was still alive, sure, they didn't know who she was, but they had to know that she wasn't related to DG.

So why did they take her? They couldn't have mistaken her for Azkadellia, even in the dark, they would have been able to tell. She racked her brain for a reason and came up with nothing. She leaned her head back against the wall, she had been sitting in the same spot for a while now, her butt was numb and her shoulders were tight, but she just couldn't find the strength to get up. She closed her eyes and upon reopening them she saw bright spots in front of her eyes.

'Awesome! Now I get to enjoy the other side effects of those damn darts.' She thought sarcastically and closed her eyes again, hoping the vertigo wouldn't come back. 'Wait…..the darts…..'

…………….

"That won't work. Will it?" Cain was wary of his son's plan, not believing that anything that crazy would work. He had almost asked if his son had recently lost his mind somewhere in the fields of the Pahpay, but something in the back of his mind told him that there was some sense to Jeb's plan. Jeb walked out of the tent for a minute then came back clutching something in his hand.

"What do you think?" Jeb asked as he held up the dart that had been pulled from Billie's shoulder the first time they had come to the camp.

…………….

DG's eyes flew open and looked around the cell, she looked over to Billie and then to the cell door. She silently crawled over to Billie's side and covered the girl's mouth with her hand, green eyes met blue, and they listened for the footsteps they had both heard. Heavy footfalls came closer to the door, neither girl wanted to get their hopes to high that it might be one of the Cains.

A heavyset man came into view and both the girl's shoulders sagged, the man opened the door and motioned for someone off to his side. DG's eyes shot from the open door to Billie's eyes, the gears in her mind working over time, Billie nodded and suddenly took off toward the man. His girth was wide but his stature was short, so she aimed her shoulder straight for his solar plexus.

She powered through the pain in her shoulder and rammed the man up against the wall, leaving him breathless long enough for DG to run out of the cell and give them a nice head start. However, neither of them expected the two men who had been walking down the hall toward their cell. They were both scrawny and easy to take out, had the girls been trained to fight, they would both be breathing fresh air at that moment, but since they were just a Princess and a stripper, they were thrown back into the cell.

The man that Billie had slammed into the wall had regained his breath and came into the cell making the other two men stand guard in front of the door, ensuring that the girls wouldn't try the same thing twice, and started toward DG. "Hey! Do you really think they'll give you what you want if you rough up the princess?" Billie knew how much DG meant to this place, and knew that, unlike her, DG had people to go back too. She didn't want DG's family to get back an injured princess.

"Billie. Don't." Billie held up her hand and stood. The man turned to her and nodded his head. "Yeah, your right, but I doubt they'll notice if you're a little worse for wear." He grinned at her and crossed the cell, forgetting about his plans for DG and making new ones for Billie.

"Bil-" Billie gave her a look that told it was no use; she wouldn't listen to whatever DG was going to say. She crawled into the corner and turned her eyes away, not wanting to see Billie get the punishment that had originally been intended for her.

He brought his hand up and threw her into the wall with a powerful backhand; she turned back to him and glared at him in defiance. He grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against the wall, the back of her head hitting the stone making her see spots for the second time. He grinned at her unfocused eyes and grabbed a fist full of white blond and rainbow colored hair and threw her into the opposite wall; her eyebrow receiving a cut from a stone that jutted out.

She blinked her eyes, hoping the spots would go away soon, and braced herself for another blow. He took his left fist and slammed it into her right side, no crack was heard, but that was the only reason that Billie figured none of her ribs were broken; the pain could have convince her otherwise. DG gasp sounded out as Billie sunk down on her knees, the pain in her side rippled out to the rest of her body. The man grinned and put one fist over the other and came down hard on the back of Billie's neck, knocking her unconscious, face down on the floor.

All three men laughed down at the broken girl and then left. DG crawled toward her, turned her over, and cradled the girls head in her lap, tears rolled down her cheeks and she surveyed the damage their captor had done. DG had finally come to realize that what Billie had said earlier had been right, it wasn't her fault, although looking at her injuries DG almost thought otherwise. 'Somebody please, help us.' She silently watched over the older girl.

……………

(A/N: Gasp what will happen? will our heros save our heroines? will the bad men see the errors of their ways?

read and find out, and also review please!)


	6. Chapter 6

(A/N: Hello! Here is another chapter in my wonderful story. o yeah please take into account that Billie has had conversations with Ambose, Cain, Az, DG before this all happened, so they think of her as a friend. Hope you like!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Billie. And possibly the scattered marbles that have been under my bed for years.)

…………..

Jeb looked over the enemy camp, he had found a perfect spot to spy on them a cliff that hung over the camp, and the camp itself surrounded a cave that had been converted into a jail back when the witch had been in charge. It was obvious that these people were sloppy, they hadn't taken notice of the cliff, they hadn't bothered to guard their perimeter, in fact most of their guards were in front of the jail door. This could only mean that DG and Billie had tried to escape.

'That's my good girl, just hold tight, I'm coming for you.' He heard his father come up behind him, knowing what his question was, he turned to address him. "Most of them are guarding the jail door, you know what that means. These people are sloppy, unorganized, and more than a little crazy. We just need to wait for our men in the east to get our message and come a running." They were both confident that this plan would work; Jeb just hoped that he would get his princess back in one piece.

They had both denied it at first, but when little looks and slight touches started to warm every inch of their bodies, they finally admitted that there was something between. They had kept it a secret for fear of what Cain, as well as DG's parents, would say. Before he had been sent away, they would find ways to be together; DG would duck into a room in between classes and they would either talk or kiss for the few minutes she had before Tutor called for her. Sometimes Jeb would sneak into her room at night and they would spend most of the night talking or just laying together in comfortable silence, until it was time for him to leave before the maid came in to bring her breakfast.

The day before he left, he had silently snuck into her room only to find her crying into her pillow. He had slipped into the bed with her and kissed away her tears, he had stayed the entire night, until the maid, Molly, woke him up with a knowing smile on her freckled face. Still remembering how he hadn't had nightmares that night when he had DG in his arms, he turned away from the cliff and walked back to the horses.

He would get her back, no matter what it takes.

……………

DG had fallen asleep lying on her back with Billie's head on her stomach, she had heard the sickining crack when Billie's head hit the wall, and she didn't want to cause the girl more pain by letting her sleep on the floor; she just hoped that her friend didn't have a concussion.

Billie's eyes opened and immediately remembered her injuries; the pain had faded slightly, but was far from gone. She sat up and realized that she had been sleeping on DG; she looked at her friend and saw that she had a pained expression on her face. Billie knew she was having a nightmare, so she shook DG's shoulders to wake her up.

"No….Az…." Her eyes opened and saw Billie hovering over her. She sat up and gave her friend a worried look, the cut above Billie's eye looked infected, and her cheek was sporting an ugly bruise. "Apparently he had rings on." Billie looked confused then raised a hand to her cheek. The bruise was actually three large round bruises all in a line, neither of them had noticed his jewelry, but to be fair they had been a bit preoccupied.

"Yeah…I guess he did." Billie saw guilt overshadow DG's eyes and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I just didn't want to hear Jeb bitch at me if he got you back in pieces." She put on her best brave face and smiled at her friend. The corners of DG's mouth turned up, but only slightly.

"Okay, I've waited long enough, I want to hear how he is in the sack, cause I know that if he's good, then his father will be amazing." At this DG laughed and her eyes twinkled a bit. Billie joined her and they began talking about their Cain boys, trying to make the best of a bad situation.

…………..

"Jeb, how long is this going to take? The longer we wait, the less likely it is that DG and Billie have remained unharmed." It had been an entire day since they had looked over the enemy camp from the cliff. He couldn't wait much longer.

"I know, I want to get them back just as much as you do. We just heard word that they sent demands to the palace, which means we have a little time. We're just waiting on the cavalry to arrive."

"Hey, the cavalries already here…"

Jeb and Cain turned toward the man who stood in front of a fleet of men and women on horseback. There had to be about thirty of them, since most of them had been collecting scattered criminals, and they hadn't been all together in a few weeks. Jeb had almost forgotten how many of them there were.

Cyrus Hub stood tall and proud next to his black mare; he walked forward and shook Jeb's hand. "So this must be the famous Wyatt Cain. Your son is a good leader, I always wanted to know where he gets it from, but when I heard you were his father, I knew." He shook Cain's hand and smiled under his bushy black beard and mustache.

"My brother told me that he did protection detail with you years ago, I didn't believe him. You know of a man by the name of Jackson Hub?" He and the Cains started walking around the camp as Cyrus's brigade got settled. "Yeah, I remember old Jack. He had a nasty habit of knowing exactly what's eating at me."

Cyprus let out a loud barking laugh and slapped Cain on the back. "So you did know him, well him and his wife Cheyenne had themselves three little girls, he's out living in the country. Now, let us be serious. What's the situation? The only thing your message told me was that it was an emergency that involved the royal family." Jeb nodded grimly. "The Princess DG has been captured, as well as a friend of hers. We have a view of the enemy camp; their loyal to the Witch." Jeb led Cyprus to the cliff.

"Their sloppy, they aren't guarding the perimeter very well. Their not very well armed, but there's plenty of them." Cain shook his head as he looked at the enemy numbers. "How did so many of the witch's followers go unnoticed? What are their plans?" The men had no answers among them.

They watched with sudden interest, as the camp got quiet. A woman, no older than Azkadellia, walked threw the camp and everyone in the camp bowed on their knees, faces in the ground. She wore all black garments and had a necklace of Pahpay teeth; her face was as pale as her blond hair and it gave her a stark contrast that made her look more intimidating than she already did.

The three men on the cliff dropped down on their stomachs, so as not to be seen and to allow them to hear the woman speak.

"My people! Remember this day! The day we raise her majesty from the dead and give her a worthy vessel, and that vessel is me!" The enemy camp erupted in cheers and clapping, the woman raised her hand and the people went silent.

"First we must shed the blood of the Princess and when we have the Emerald; we will have the power to raise the great and terrible witch that deserves to be running the O.Z. The Princess and the Emerald should be arriving soon. No doubt she'll have that Tin man as protection, so ready the girls for him." she waved them off and stepped down from the tree stomp she had used as her podium.

"What about the other girl, mistress? The Other Sider." She shot him a glare that sent him bowing before her once again. "All of you would do well to remember that the Other Side was once my home and had it not been for that place, I wouldn't be here. Do what you have to." With that, the woman started to walk away.

Cain gripped his gun, wanting to go down there and kill them all, but waited when he saw the woman stop and turn.

"Just don't kill her. I want to see her face when she sees me again." Her pale face broke out into a malicious grin as she strode away.

DG and Billie had long since stopped laughing, as terror was slowly sinking into their bones. Neither could tell how long it had been since their short-lived girl talk. Billie had been in the middle of telling DG about her very first time with Timothy Sanders, when a guard walked up to their cell door, it was a different guard, unfortunately he was taller and looked like he was made out of muscles. He had come into the cell with a vindictive smile on his face, he had grabbed a hold of Billie and dragged her out, not evening breaking stride while as he fought off DG's desperate attempts at freeing Billie.

He had brought Billie down the hall and left her in a room with the fat guard from before. He hadn't given her much warning before he pushed her against a wall, twisted her arm behind her back while asking her questions like where they kept the Emerald and is Azkadellia really free from the witch. She had quickly told them that she didn't know anything, she wasn't informed of those kind of things. That had earned her two broken fingers.

DG had been standing at the door to their cell, pressing her forehead against the bars when she heard Billie's cry of pain. She listened and waited, hoping she would hear the sound of footsteps coming toward her, instead another scream met her ears.

Once they realized that she had been telling the truth they brought her back to the cell and tossed her in, closing the door and setting the lock in place, the large man was about to say something when a woman ran up to him. "The Mistress is coming." Was all she said before they both ran outside.

DG looked over the damage and sighed in defeat, since there was nothing to bind them with, Billie would just have to keep her fingers very still. Her right ring finger and middle finger were both twisted at an odd angle and covered in blood, the bone having torn threw the skin. Billie just sat against the wall, cradling her hand, when she had noticed that her hair was a tangled mess, she asked DG to put it back up for her, not really caring but more wanting something to distract her from the throbbing pain that cam from her head, ribs, and now her fingers. As DG had handed her the strings to hold Billie remembered the string that was still in her pocket. She quickly took it out and looked for something that could be used as a splint.

After putting Billie's hair back up, DG was thankful for the distraction as well, even for a few minutes, and helped Billie search. They searched around the room, only seeing the things they had been seeing for the past...however long they had been there; a bucket for their toilet and a two empty bowls that had once been filled with uncooked oats, which had been their meal. Billie walked over and picked up one of the bowls, feeling its surface, trying to figure out what it was made of.

A bowl flew into the wall and DG yelped and turned to Billie. "What the hell? Are you trying to scare me to death?" Billie just walked over to the broken pieces and searched for one that was shaped right. DG hovered over her shoulder and realized what she was doing, she saw a piece in the corner and went to pick it up. Billie pouted and went to go break the other bowl when a piece that was just the right shape was shoved in front of her face.

A few minutes later, after successfully and painfully splinting the fingers, they heard cheering and clapping coming from outside. They looked at each other and then went to the door; hoping help was on its way. Not five minutes later the same guard came back and smiled as the girls backed themselves into the wall, two other men, different from the ones that had come before, came into the cell with the man that resembled Hulk Hogan, without the friendly mustache.

They quickly gathered the girls, the Hulk had DG over his shoulder, and the other two were dragging Billie along by the arms; she was fighting them every step of the way. They were lead outside into the harsh light of the suns, which neither girl had seen for at least two days; squinting their eyes as they tried to adjust to it. Before they could see what was happening, they both felt shackles go around their wrists and felt the ground beneath them disappear.

DG's eyes finally adapted to the light and she looked down, only to see a cage full of Pahpay; a whimpering cry flew out of her throat when she realized what was going to happen. Billie had been to busy looking around at her assailants to notice what was beneath her, until she heard DG's cry from beside her. She looked down and saw creatures unlike anything she had ever seen, but one thing was for sure, to them, she looked like food.

They had been planning their tactic when Azkadellia, Glitch, and Raw came into the camp. They were informed of the situation, the plan, and their enemies plan. Azkadellia paled when she heard what they were planning to do, she had never wanted to kill someone more than she did right now; Az had hoped that no one would ever think to bring the witch back, apparently she thought wrong.

Cain and Jeb had been discussing which route to take with Cyrus, Az and Glitch, Raw had decided to stay behind and help with what ever wounds would surely come out of this battle, when they all heard a soft cry.

"That's DG!" Jeb rushed to the cliff, with the others hot on his heels, and as they neared it, the entire camp heard a gut wrenching scream rip through the air. "That's Billie." They all looked over the cliff and saw what had made the girls scream, Az turned away and sobbed into Glitch's shoulder; Cain and Jeb both shook with anger upon seeing the caged Pahpay underneath their girls.

Cain walked over to the horses and pulled himself onto a saddle, his son saddling the stallion beside him. "You all know your places and your jobs. Move out!" Silently Az and Glitch saddled a large mare and fell in line behind Cain. Az dried her face of her tears and took comfort in Glitch's arm around her waist.

They trotted down the to the road that led them right through the enemy camp, Jeb, Cryus, and the rest silently went to their positions, now knowing that losing this battle was not an option. Cain was silent as they rode into the camp, resisters grinning and pointing the weapons at them along the way.

"Finally, and here I was starting to think you didn't want them back." The pale woman motioned toward the girls hanging from their shackles.

Billie's eyes caught Cain's for the slightest second and her heart leapt with joy; until she saw Az and Ambrose dismount their horse behind him. The woman laughed and stepped toward Cain.

"Hand over the Emerald and the Princess and you get to choose which one comes down to you, and which one goes into the cage." Shock crossed Cain's face. He hadn't expected that to be the situation, he had thought she would need both DG and Az to do the ritual. They had planned for him to bargain for Billie, buying Jeb time to get into place, and ambush them easily.

"Choose Tin man. Which would you rather have? I lack the need for either" She waved a hand absently, as if to say they could both die and she would gain little enjoyment from it. He heard Az contain a sob as he deliberated, they had not planned for this, they had no way of signally that the ambush crew was in place, and Cain didn't want to make the woman wait too long, for fear she might get bored and kill them both.

His eyes went from DG's, her blue eyes overflowing with tears and fears, then to Billie's, her green eyes strong and brave. She nodded once and sent him a fearless look. He nodded back and turned to the pale woman in black.

"Billie." Her smile churned his gut and made him question himself. He heard Az and Glitch asking him what he was doing, then he heard DG's broken sob.

"No!" Billie was lowered to the ground and unshackled; she ran to Cain and pushed him hard in the chest. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You should have picked DG! Are you stupid?!" She yelled and kept pushing him, his eyes filled with pain, but he now knew he had made the right decision.

"How cute, the little girl wanted to die. You should be dead already but I think we all know how the last time went." The woman touched Billie's left shoulder. Green eyes went wide as she wiped around to look into a face she thought she would never see again.

"Hi honey. Did you miss your mommy?"

……………….

(A/N: yes I know I'm beginning to have a really weird story but I like it so :P I hope you do too!

Read and review please!)


	7. Chapter 7

(A/N: Hello! Here is another chapter in my wonderful story. Hope you like!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Billie and my crazy vegan parents.)

…………………

Jeb had witnessed the entire thing, not knowing what to do, and was quickly thinking up a plan. He saw an opening when one of the guards close to the cage had walked away, leaving the other open for a silent attack. Jeb quietly snuck up behind the large man that was controlling the crane, taking his hand he made it into a point and thrust it into the guards side, just above his waist, twisting to the right. The man quickly lost feeling and fell back; Jeb caught him and dragged him away into the bushes, knocked the man unconscious and took his place. Jeb was suddenly very glad he had bothered to memorize a long coat move, to paralyze their victims by numbing a cluster of nerves by apply pressure.

As the others silently moved through the crowd, some knocking out guards one by one and taking their place as Jeb had done, others standing in the crowd as if they belonged there. Jeb starred at his father, hoping he would catch his eyes soon so he could signal for the attack, Cain's eyes held fast to the back of Billie's head.

"What's wrong, my little emerald? Starting to regret killing my Jason?" She watched with glee as Billie cringed at her old nickname. Her mother had always called her that when she was in trouble, her mother also had a twisted obsession with emeralds, and she would do anything to have them. Now she was getting one that had power.

"Never."

The woman's pale features contorted with anger as she backhanded her daughter. "Insolent little child! You could not appreciate the evil that man was capable of, that delicious black heart that he had. Well I will get my power soon and then you'll go to hell." She held out her hand and the emerald thrust itself toward her, she pulled the same trick on Az that the witch had pulled on DG.

She laughed and motioned to the guard at the crane, not knowing the Jeb was standing there, and laughed even louder when the crane roared to life. "No!" Billie cried out as Cain looked to the cage and noticed that DG wasn't going in it, she was being lowered in front of it, he looked to the controls and saw his son smiling at him. He grinned and turned to the woman.

"NOW!"

Suddenly the Queens army sprang to life, surprising the crowd of resisters, some of them threw down their weapons, and others began to fight. The sound of clanging swords and gunshots rang out and the Queens army knew they wouldn't lose.

"No!" Billie's mother became enraged and grabbed a near by sword, she started towards Cain. He was oblivious, fighting three resisters at a time, his eyes alive with fire. Billie caught the glint of the sword and looked to where it was aimed: straight at Cains back. Suddenly everything slowed, Jeb took notice of the threat but was across the field, DG, Az and Ambrose soon caught on as well. However, they weren't close enough.

'All I have to do is stand up. He would live, and they'll capture her…….all I have to do is stand up.'

As time seemed to return to normal, Billie stood from her place on the ground and gasped as the sword impaled her to the hilt, directly in the center of her chest.

Brown eyes met green and for one glittering moment Billie thought she saw sorrow in those brown eyes, that was until the sword twisted in her chest and she screamed with what breath was left in her. Her scream caught Cain's attention and he looked behind him, what he saw nearly killed him.

The swords tip nearly inches from him and the woman he could have loved run through with said sword. The sword was suddenly wrenched from her and left a gaping wound behind. Cain caught her as she fell back, her eyes already closed and no breath came into her lungs. Cain searched for signs of life as the noise around him faded.

Jeb had already caught the woman and locked her in the shackles, DG ripped the Emerald from her hand and punched her, Jeb raised the crane, lifting Billie's mother high in the air above the cage full of hungry Pahpay. He shut it off and ran to his father's side, DG held his hand as they came closer, as she saw Billie's body she screamed and collapsed to her knees.

DG hadn't realized that over the span of not even a week they had become closer than they ever had been, that was until she saw her friends body. Jeb held her as she sobbed, noticing that all the resisters had stopped fighting, some stopping just to watch the commotion, but they had realized they were outnumbered.

Jeb had seen that look on his fathers face once before, but somehow, then didn't compare to now.

Wyatt Cain had thought he had lived his life, had found and lost his happiness, and thought he would have to live the rest of his existence as he was, alone and emotionally stunted. But when he met Billie, he felt something inside him begin to live again, something in him breathed in her fire and fanned it till it caught everything in him. He had thought about her many times over the week he had known her, he had thought about loving her, and whether or not he could, he had even toyed with the idea of one day asking her to marry him. He hadn't thought about it too long because he had only known her a week. But he knew that he could love her, that he did love her, and that now he had lost her.

Cain sat there holding her in his lap, his eyes starring out into nothing as tears streamed freely down his face. He clutched to one desperate thought as he whispered into her ear. 'Please hear this at least.'

"I love you…"

…………….

No one had known exactly what the Emerald was created for, not even the Queen. Yes, it could lock the suns behind the moon, yes, it could make people drunk with power, and yes, it could even make people kill for it. But no one knew exactly what it was for or why it had been created.

No one knew that it was originally created to give Dorothy Gale new life, her husband had created it to heal her illness, but hadn't known what he had actually produced was much more powerful. It had once been fueled by power and science, now it was fueled by souls.

Souls that called to one another, souls that cried out. That little Emerald was the reason that everyone in the Gale line had been married to their soul mate, their one and only. That little stone was the reason Ahamo had slipped through all those years ago.

For years it did its job, from inside the stone case, the power of the Emerald worked its magic. Eventually it had grown a mind of its own, and with all the turmoil that had weaved its way into the O.Z. it needed more than just a form that could pass from hand to hand, it needed a more free willed form.

So it chose its shape wisely, planning its move for years, setting up the events that occurred and waited for the right moment.

Now the moment was right.

…………..

A green light filled the clearing, the source of it still in DG's hand. DG dropped it to the ground and stepped back, afraid of what the woman might have done to it.

The Emerald floated into the air and just sat there.

Az clasped onto DG's hand as Ambrose and Jeb took protective stances in front of them as the stone started to shake. Cain's eyes finally blinked and looked around, trying to find out why all he could see was green, his blue eyes locked onto the stone and widened as the jewel suddenly shot straight for him.

It barreled into the gaping wound of Billie's and blew her back into a tree, holding her there as the stone melted into liquid form and began mending the grotesque wound. Cain sat up and realized he was a good hundred yards from where he had been and noticed a sword pointed at an angle in the air, one foot to the left and he would be dead too. Too. That thought sent him running back across the field.

'Don't let this be a dream, Please don't let this be a dream…' Was all he could think when his eyes caught what the stone was doing. Billie still held against the tree, feet dangling and wounds healing, then green markings wound around her limbs like vines; her hair now as green as the emerald. Cain took a step closer but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked over his shoulder to see Jeb shaking his head. Cain took that step back and looked around the clearing; the resisters were all face down, bowing before the green light, he once again looked up to see Billie standing on her own, wounds healed and the light died down. This time Jeb aloud him to walk towards her, his step only faltering when her eyes snapped open, the whites of them glowed green and blended with her already green irises and her pupils were pinpoint.

She stared for a long time, and then with the tilt of her head, they all heard the top of the Pahpay cage open and a short scream as her mother was dropped in. Billie turned her glowing eyes to the approaching Cain, her new green hair catching the slight breeze she looked almost confused.

"Billie, it's me. It's Cain."

Another tilt of her head, thankfully no scream was heard this time.

"It's Wyatt Cain. Do you remember me? Do you remember DG?" Cain held DG slightly behind him, as Billie stepped forward. Her movements were fluid and held the utmost grace; Cain knew something wasn't right, he could tell that it wasn't Billie stepping forward at the moment.

The designs that were now imprinted onto her skin were somehow familiar, the gentle swirl on her shoulder, the thorny vines that twisted around her arms and legs, and even the whirl of emerald that was right where the sword had been. All of it was familiar, but Cain couldn't quite place it.

DG reached her hand out, trying to understand what had happened to her friend, and almost pulled back when Billie's hand grabbed onto hers. Cain had one hand on DG's arm and the other on his gun, trying to figure out whether or not Billie was a threat in her new form.

DG gasped when a sudden warm spread over her, starting at her hand and flowing threw her arm and then outward to the rest of her body. That warmth spread to Cain and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, bliss taking over. As the warmth slowly spread through the clearing, blissful sighs rang out.

One by one, the inhabitants of the clearing, both the resisters and the Queen's army, dropped into a state of heavenly sleep. Cain, the last to drop, opened his eyes, and looked into Billie's once more, a hand reached out and caressed her green hair and smiled, collapsing into a heap in front of her.

Her eyes finally cleared to leave her normal green, and as she surveyed the area, she smiled; her body suddenly burst into dust, and green birdwing butterflies flew off on the breeze.

………………

Cain woke to the sounds of people talking and laughing; he sat up and looked around, finding that he was in a tent back at Jeb's camp. If he hadn't looked down and seen Billie's blood all over him he would have thought it was all a dream. He knew better than to hope for things like that, after years of praying that his tin suit had been just one long and horrible nightmare, he knew better.

He was thankful when he saw a clean shirt hung over the chair near his cot; he changed and found the shirt to be a bit big, if only slightly. He gathered his affects and walked out into the warm night air, upon seeing everyone laughing and eating and completely unwounded he went in search of Jeb.

Two feet from Jeb's tent Glitch popped up in front of him. "Hey there Cain. How are you feeling? Isn't it just a wonderful night?" Glitch's smile was tight and a bit forced; he was intentionally blocking him from his son's tent. "Move." Knowing better than to get in the way of an angry Tin man, he smoothly stepped to the side and walked back over to Az by the fire.

Cain's hand on the flap of the tent suddenly stilled when he heard DG's giggle, rolling his eyes he cleared his throat and knocked on the wooden supports. He heard shuffling and the clink of a belt and someone falling over, DG emerged looking flushed. Her hair was ruffled and her clothes still needed to be straighten, but overall she was decent. She began to walk away when Cain caught her arm and dragged her back into the tent.

"I want answers. I want to know about the Emerald and what the hell happened out there today." Before either had the chance to reply he held up a hand and walked out, only to enter again with Az, Raw, and Ambrose in front of him. "What happened to Billie out there?"

Az and DG looked at each other, confusion written all over their faces. Glitch, Raw, and Jeb held similar looks, Cain was starting to get frustrated, how could they have not seen what happened, were they just covering? He wanted answers, Now.

However, the words that came out of DG's mouth stilled his heart and chilled him to the bone.

"Who's Billie?"

……………….

(A/N: hey people! I just realized today that I made a mistake; Hank and Emily aren't the roborents. They were the couple that had helped DG, Glitch, Cain and raw across the gap.

The ones with blue smoke. I just found that out, I am so sorry; I thought I had done my research.

O well, nobody really noticed anyway.

Hope ya'll like this chappy! And don't worry it isn't the end :3

Sorry its kind of short.

Read and review please!)


	8. Chapter 8

(A/N: Hello! Here is my longest chapter ever. By the way their all in Finaqua. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Except Billie, as well as my very tired brain.)

…………………………….

A week had gone by since the battle at the cave-jail, and since Billie's disappearance. Cain seemed to be the only one in the entire O.Z. that even knew Billie existed. The night of the battle, he had told the others of the battle he had witnessed, and as it turns out, they had seen something completely different.

DG had been in that cell alone, the woman had never asked Cain to choose, and the Emerald had apparently just withered into dust in the woman's hands. When they brought up the woman, he fought them about it.

"That woman was Billie's mother, her insane mother who wanted her dead. You have to remember!"

"Cain, none of us remember this girl except you, maybe there's a reason for that." Glitch had reached his hand toward him and Cain had pulled his gun on him. "You saying I'm crazy?" Glitch had shook his head and backed away.

Cain was once again pacing in his room, even though he should have been out in the ballroom with the rest of them. Tonight, a celebration ball was being thrown, not really to celebrate anything more than the fact that they were all free, the witch was gone for good. However, Cain couldn't bring himself to go down there and pretend to enjoy himself when he knew there was something more to this whole situation.

A knock on his door slowed his pacing. DG smiled at him as he opened the door, she and Jeb had started planning their wedding the second the Queen had approved, they were going to announce the engagement tonight, but they wouldn't do it without him. Cain sighed and shrugged on the coat of his dress uniform and followed DG back to the party.

….

"We have a very important announcement to make, as it is traditional for the eldest daughter to obtain a husband before her young sister can even be eligible, we've decided to make an exception. Princess DG and General Jeb Cain are engaged to be married!"

Loud cheering and clapping filled the room; smiling faces could be seen everywhere, all happy to revel in the couple's joy, not to mention their alcohol. In the far corner, a figure stood watching her handiwork, a smile began to creep up the persons tan face, and their eyes alight with joy.

"Jade! Get back in here; you have a job to do!" Molly, the freckle-faced maid shook her head and walked away muttering, "newbie…."

…………..

DG was becoming overwhelmed; she hadn't thought a simple wedding would be so much work. She had only had a week after the party to relax before everyone started asking her what flowers she wanted or what the color scheme will be. Everyone was always asking her questions, so after the third day of planning she ran, hiding in the very back of the library, thinking she'd be safe.

"Princess DG?" DG let out a yelp and turned around to face the young servant. "Hi, is there something you need? Although if it's for the wedding, please can it wait until tomorrow?" The servant girl smiled at the princess. "I just wanted to see if you were hungry, I took your lunch to your room, but you weren't there."

"Oh…. Thank you, and yes I'm starved." DG followed the girl back to her room and looked both ways, making sure no one would bother her, before closing the door.

A large tray of the most delicious looking foods sat on the table and as the servant uncover everything DG felt her mouth water. She turned to thank the servant girl again, but as she looked at her, she had a sudden sense of déjà vu. "Your not new here, are you?" The girl nodded and DG decided to shrug it off as just stress.

"Enjoy your meal, Your Highness." DG caught her arm as she walked away. "Please, it's just DG. I hate the whole 'Highness' thing." The servant furrowed her black eyebrows in confusion. "Here, I'm DG. What's your name?" DG held out her hand for a shake and smiled at the girl. DG finally taking notice of her appearance as the girl deliberated whether to take her hand, she was short and tan. DG noticed that her eyebrows didn't match her hair, her thin arched eyebrows were black while her long hair was a beautiful shade of green; strange hair colors were about as common in the O.Z. as they were on the Other Side, possibly more so.

"My name is Jade, Your Hi- I mean DG." She finally shook the princess' hand. DG watched her leave, and again took note of her hair, it was braided into a Herringbone braid. "Jade, did you do that yourself?" Jade absent-mindedly grabbed her braid and nodded. "Would you mind doing the same to my hair some time?" Jade smiled and nodded to the younger girl, then left her to her lunch.

………….

Cain and Jeb were currently having a heated discussion about the risks of having an outdoor wedding; they were approaching DG's room to talk to her about it. Cain was so focused on the conversation that he bumped into a servant girl that was exiting DG's room. His arms instinctively went around the girl to keep her from falling to the ground.

First thing that he noticed was the green braid that was mere inches from his face, as he helped her upright and apologized, he tried to get a better look at her face, but she hurried off before he could. His mind must be playing tricks on him, he knew it couldn't have been Her; she didn't exist, or at least that's what everyone told him.

"Father, are you alright?" Jeb's voice broke his train of thought and brought him back to the real world. As he stepped into DG's room he mentally berated himself. 'Stop torturing yourself, old man, Billie is gone. Maybe their right, maybe she didn't exist in the first place.' Cain pushed all thoughts of Billie and his decreasing sanity back into a far corner of his mind.

"So, DG and I want an outdoor wedding, out by the lake, in the gazebo. We don't have to invite a lot of people, just friends and family." DG nodded in agreement.

"That sounds nice and all, but what about your enemies? Having an outdoor wedding is just begging them to come ruin it." Cain wasn't objecting to the marriage, just the wedding. He didn't want his son and his future daughter-in-law to get shot up in the middle of the ceremony.

After another half hour of arguing about it, they went to the Queen and her consort, who were enjoying the nice sunny day with tea time out in the garden. Cain finally agreed to the outdoor ceremony when the Queen assured him that security would be top notch, after that the conversation drifted toward the guest list.

Ahamo suggested that this would be best discussed over cake so he motioned for a servant that had been hidden away, for the cake to be brought forth. He and the Cains shared a knowing smile as DG chatted away with her mother, completely oblivious.

Glitch, Az, and Raw all came out to the gardens with smiles on their faces and a cake in their hands.

"Happy birthday, Deege!"

DG hadn't suspected a thing, she didn't even know if they had remembered, she hugged everyone, saying that they had to do this more often. As they all chatted about the wedding and how since it was so close to her birthday they hadn't gotten her anything, which had been totally untrue, they snickered as she pouted and then revealed the gifts that they had hidden in the garden ealier that day.

Two servants came over with more tea and plates for the cake, Cain barely noticed as one of them began to cut the cake and hand out slices. The girl handing out plates reached to hand DG's hers, and as Cain's eyes looked at her arm, her sleeve hitched up to reveal a small green stripe going around her wrist.

Cain resisted the urge to grab her arm and roll up the sleeve to see if that mark was what he thought it was. Instead he waited until they were done passing out silverware and began to leave, he excused himself and followed the girl into the kitchen; he grabbed her upper arm and dragged her into a closet.

He closed the door and turned on the light, he faced the door, not wanting to look at her just yet, afraid that his mind really was playing tricks on him. He heard her shuffle behind him and decided he couldn't wait any longer, he turned to her and felt his heart skid to a stop.

………….

The day of the wedding had been set a month after DG's birthday, and now was the night of the rehearsal. DG was sitting in her room in front of her vanity mirror as Jade braided her hair, DG and the servant girl had become friends over the past couple of weeks, Jade had helped her with a lot of the wedding plans and had been a great listener when it came to the princess's rants.

That feeling of déjà vu that DG had gotten, never stopped, so one day she decided to ask her new friend if it meant anything. Jade had just said that it was probably nerves from her upcoming nuptials; the princess didn't quite believe her but pushed the thought back anyway.

They were currently discussing her soon to be husband, the handsome and brave Jeb Cain. "Yeah, he's a lot like his father but not too much, I don't know if I could stand another Wyatt Cain around." DG laughed and Jade joined her, thankful that the bride hadn't mentioned him very much.

Since that day in the closet, Jade had been cautious to avoid the older Cain, she didn't want to take the chance of being around him to much. Every time she was near him, all she wanted to do was curl up into his arms and let her body rest, but she knew she couldn't. It was forbidden.

_ Cain turned to look at her and his heart skidded to a stop._

"_Billie…" he stepped toward her and raised his hand to caress her cheek but she stepped away. His blue eyes searched her warm green ones, looking for a reason or an explanation._

"_Wyatt…you shouldn't remember me." She nearly flinched when his eyes filled with hurt and his hand dropped back to his side. He opened his mouth to say something when the door suddenly opened and she slipped out and ran to her quarters, not wanting him to catch her again and demand an explanation. She didn't have one; she didn't even know how or why all this had happened. However, she knew that her new and improved heart still yearned for him, just as it had before the battle. _

At first she hadn't wanted it, hadn't wanted the new chance at a new life, she had just wanted to go back to them and have them remember her, but her meetings with the Emerald made her keenly aware of what would happen if they did remember her.

The Emerald always called to her in the form of a strong pull in her mind, either giving her instructions to help someone whose soul cried out or just to lend her some company; one night the Emerald had told her that it hadn't thought she would still reside in this body, it had thought it would control it completely. Later it admitted that it was better having her there, even with the occasional battle for control that they had.

The Emerald had wiped their memory of Billie, made new ones to make up for the lack of her, but had let Cain keep his memories of her. It had seen the love between them but knew that Billie had a job to do; it had to block out her crying soul. She had a new name and a job in the palace, but whenever there was a person in need of the Emeralds help, she would go out into the gardens at night and take flight in her new form, usually returning the next morning, almost always exhausted.

She did her job as a servant well, she did her duty to the Emerald well, and with all the work that was required of her, it rarely gave her enough time to do anything else. Nevertheless, she enjoyed having DG as a friend again; even the Emerald had said it would be better if they remained friends.

"So what do you think?" Jade had been too lost in her thoughts to hear what the princess had just said. "I'm sorry Princess, I drifted off, what were you saying?" she finished winding the braid and reached for something to secure it.

"I was just saying that, I know its not really proper and all, but I don't have a lot of female friends and we have one too many grooms men and not enough bridesmaids, I was wonder if you wanted to be a bridesmaid in my wedding tomorrow." DG fiddled with her hands, hoping the older girl would say yes.

Jade finished with her hair and put it over her shoulder then put a hand on it. "It would be an honor." She smiled and braced herself as DG jumped up and hugged her. As they were about to leave DG stopped her, looking her up and down she shook her head and led the servant girl to her closet, hoping the few inches between their heights wouldn't make that much of a difference.

………….

The groomsmen and the bridesmaids lined up at the beginning of the aisle and began the procession. First, to walk down was Arianna, DG and Az's aunt who had come to the palace not long after the eclipse, she wasn't really their aunt she was just good friends with the Queen, escorted by Cyrus Hub. Next was Jade, who wore a yellow sundress that DG never wore, it came just below her knees and hugged her a bit tight around the bust, she had easily covered her markings with a bit of magic. DG had taken her hair out of its usual braid and it now hung to her hips in soft green curls, she was escorted by Glitch. Last was Az, who was close to tears of joy, she was escorted by Wyatt Cain.

DG walked down the aisle on her father's arm, whose eyes were misting over even though it was just the rehearsal, DG smiled at her bridesmaids and the groomsmen and finally at her fiancé, who stood there looking handsome as usual.

The rehearsal went off without a hitch; everyone hoped that the actual ceremony would do the same. Everyone was now by the lake, a small orchestra set up in the gazebo, and everyone laughing and dancing; even Cain. He spun Az around and smiled at her carefree laughter, he knew she had more than a little scar from the witch's possession, but to see her laugh and smile like nothing could touch her, he knew as a parent that the Queen was watching with joy in her heart.

As Cain spun her, again he heard the sweet, high-pitched, tinkering laughter of a certain servant girl; he turned his head to see Glitch and Billie dancing like a couple pros.

Years of dancing and stripping had given Jade excellent rhythm, although she would no longer admit that since there was only one person who knew her as Billie. Glitch spun her again and she caught Cain staring.

Cain had passed Az off to her father, claiming that his old bones needed a break, then he went and sat on the steps of the gazebo and watched as Glitch spun 'Jade'. His breath escaped him as he watched her spin, a wave off green curls and yellow fabric, her smile made the sun seem all too bright. He knew she had been avoiding him this past month and he wouldn't stand for it anymore, he had given her space, now it was time to confront her.

With that thought he headed over to the dancing duet and caught Glitch's eyes, nodding his head, he smoothly caught 'Jade' as Glitch spun her towards him. Her smile faltered as she realized her caught, she attempted to take a step away, but Cain held fast and led her into the dance once again.

Cain hadn't wanted anyone to know, but he was an excellent dancer, he and Adora had danced in their living room every chance they had, but now he didn't care if everyone knew. He and 'Jade', he still refused to call her by her new name, spun, and danced with passion, catching the attention of everyone that knew them.

As he twirled her once more, she came back into his arms and she noted that their faces were only inches apart. Their breath mingled and he looked hard into her eyes, as if demanding the explanation that she didn't have. Her eyes flitted to his lips and was about to give in, when Jade felt that familiar pull in her mind, the Emerald was calling to her. Tears filled her eyes as she suddenly pushed out of his arms and took off running, making her way back to the palace.

Cain looked after her, a blur of soft yellow and rich green, she was still more graceful than he had remembered. He quickly went to give an excuse to DG, needing to go after 'Jade', needing an explanation, a reason, or even a flimsy excuse. DG looked ready to berate him for whatever he did to her new friend until she saw the look on his face. She and Jeb watched him make his way swiftly back to the palace, shaking their heads and shrugging their shoulders as people asked what had just happened.

…………….

"What?! What do you want?! Why did you have to call me right then? What could possibly be so important?" She yelled to the image of the immaculate stone that was in front of her. She had run into the maze, not knowing where else would be safe for her to speak to it.

"You know why I called you, Jade. Now is not the time to have a fling with the Tin man." It floated at eye level and spoke in a voice that was neither female nor male.

"This is not a fling!" She couldn't help but yell, she was tired and frustrated and lonely, all she wanted to do was go curl up in the arms of a certain Wyatt, and sleep for a few days. She never got enough sleep anymore, with her chores as a maid and her duties to the Emerald, all the spare time she got was spent sleeping, which wasn't much.

Neither the Emerald nor Jade noticed that said Tin man had followed the sound of her shouts and was now spying on them.

Jade flopped onto a stone bench that sat in one of the dead ends in the maze; she dropped her head into her hands and dissolved into tears. "Why are you making this so hard? I've done everything you ask of me, and the one thing I want most, is the one thing you won't let me have." She looked up at the floating image, hot tears of exhaustion rolling down her cheeks.

"I know, and you have served me well, don't think I haven't noticed. I'm not trying to make this hard, I just don't think it's the right time for you to take a chance on a broken Tin man. I might just be a stone that someone created, but I do care, and I don't want you to get hurt. I feel what you feel."

"Then do you feel how tired I am? Do you feel this empty pit in my heart? Do you feel what it's like to do nothing but help others and have no one to help you?" She stood, enraged at the tiny stone, all she wanted was for it to leave her alone.

"Yes, I do feel it, and I know you suffer, but what you do for me now is more important. You are helping more people than you realize. Your sacrifice will do this world a lot of good."

Jade's eyes burned with rage and the image of the stone was blown back several feet.

"That sacrifice was not my choice! You chose me! I didn't want this! Don't you remember? I died and you pushed yourself into me! I wanted to die to save the one I love, and now I have to suffer because you decided to 'Bless me with your holy presence'! Do you know how many times I thought about ripping this new heart out just so I could have some peace?" The stone didn't have a response, it just flickered and then disappeared, leaving Jade to crumple into a heap of tears once more.

She let out a growl of aggravation and began to rip out the grass beneath her hands, only to stop when her fingernails hit dirt, she sighed and sat leaning against the bench staring at her hands.

……………

His mind still reeling from the conversation he had just overheard, he hadn't thought that the jewel could talk. His heart had clenched in his chest when he saw how tired and frustrated she looked, and it tightened even more when he saw how she tore at the grass, as if killing the grass would ease her aggravation.

He screwed up his courage and stepped out of his hiding spot, making his way towards her, only faltering slightly at the anger in her voice.

"Leave me alone, Cain."

"I can't do that, Billie."

Her eyes snapped up to his as he kneeled before her, looking as beautiful as ever with his head bare of his fedora and his chest bare of his holster and vest. She almost couldn't snap at him when the suns caught his eyes, making them match the sky, but she was too angry to let all of that affect her.

"It's Jade now, I'm not that girl anymore. And why not?" even she noticed that some of the venom had left her voice and she realized that all of those things did affect her.

"Because I can't just stand by and watch you suffer like this. Besides who else will you reminisce with? I'm the only one that remembers." He had meant it to be a joke but as new tears flowed out of her eyes, he realized that might have been the wrong thing to say. He gathered her into his lap and whispered sweet nothings into her ear, he could practically feel the anger and stress pour out of her as she wept into his shoulder.

Soon her sobs quieted and she now slept peacefully in his arms; he didn't have the heart to move, fearing he might wake her. He caressed her hair, admiring its color, and then noticed her hand were still dirty; he removed his handkerchief from his pocket and carefully cleaned them off.

He finally stood, grudgingly realizing that this was no place for a nap, and tried to sneak his way up to her small room. Which he had acquired the location by following her one night. He had only passed one other person on the way there, and gave the boy a hard look that sent him running. He nudged the door open and shut it the same way as he entered, he laid her down on her bed and was about to leave when he became aware of her hand clutching into his shirt. He would have pried it off but he saw her shiver and against his better judgment, he toed off his shoes and laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame.

Soon they were both fast asleep, not caring what the world or the stone for that matter, thought of them, for now they just enjoyed the blissfully dreamless sleep.

…………….

"So what was with Jade, that's her name, right? Yeah Jade and Cain, what was with them today? Do they have a thing going on that we don't know about?" Glitch, Az, DG, Jeb, Ahamo, Raw, and the Queen all sat in the lounge, having their evening tea. They had all taken notice of Cain and the servant, Jade's behavior that after noon, they were more curious about the situation rather then mad that they had made a scene.

Raw had noticed strange feelings rolling off the two for about a month now, so he decided to let the others in on it. "They know each other. They feel for each other. But feeling is strange."

"How is it strange, Raw?" Az had taken to Raw like a child to a puppy since the eclipse, and still felt a little guilty every time she caught a glimpse of those round bald patches on his head. He shook his head slightly, feeling self-conscious as they all turned to him. Az placed a hand on his paw and smiled at him.

"Jade feel torn. Cain feel angry at us not having memory. Cain know Jade by other name. Old name." he stopped when they started giving him odd looks. "It's okay, Raw, you can tell us." The Queen reassured him with her soft smile, which seemed to be all he needed.

"We not remember correct. Not even Raw. Something changed. Emerald not gone. Just different. Cain know where Emerald went. Cain know Jade before. Before battle with no wounds." Raw had been the only one that was suspicious at the lack of wounds that day.

"How does he know her from before then? She has only been here for about a month an a half. Before that she was in the far south with her family." The Queen was starting to wonder about the new servant girl. Raw's eyes closed and he sat there for a few minutes, as if gathering the information. Suddenly he stood, and walked to the mirror that sat on the mantle, since Raw had moved into the palace, the mirrors had doubled.

He put his hand on it and blurry images filled it.

_ First, an image of a travel storm appeared._

_Then Cain and a blurry blond figure walking out of Jeb's camp._

_A blurred image of DG and the blond girl appeared. They were sitting in a small dark room, one moment laughing another crying, then the last they were fighting a large man._

"_Billie!"_

_Then the image changed, the battle at the clearing came into view, some parts clear as day while others were blurred and out of focus. The blond figure was blurred as a sword plunged into it, ripping a scream out of it._

_Then Cain was crying over the blond figure._

_Then the mirror went green._

_Then Emerald shot into the blond person._

_Then they saw Jade, standing in front of the battlefield, eyes glowing._

_Then everyone collapsed. _

"What does it mean?" DG felt that sense of déjà vu again, now wondering if Cain had been right all along.

"This means they have some explaining to do." Ahamo had been dead serious as he stood, about to search for Cain and the servant girl. But stilled when DG burst out laughing, he looked at her and wondered if she had lost it.

"I'm sorry- hahaha - if you only knew what that means over on the Other Side." She tried to quell her laughter but failed until she saw how everyone was looking at her. She cleared her throat and acted as if it had never happened.

They all stood and went in search for the two in question, splitting up into three groups, deciding to meet in the now deserted kitchen once they found them.

DG and Jeb went to the west wing, Az and Glitch heading to the east wing, while Raw, Ahamo and the Queen went to the north wing.

DG pouted as they searched, this wasn't what she wanted to be doing the day before her wedding, she wanted to be sitting in her room laughing and being girly with her bridesmaids. But she wanted to know what was going on so she sucked it up and searched.

After an hour, they all met in the kitchen, having come up with neither of the two, and they all decided it was late and they had a big day ahead of them, so they all retired to bed.

DG reluctantly parted with Jeb and went to bed.

…………

Jade's eyes fluttered open, only to be greeted with impressive chest of Wyatt Cain, she blushed and forced her eye upward. She felt all her blood move to her face when her eyes were met with the smug face of a Tin man. He chuckled at her beet red face, only to start flat out laughing when she pushed him off the bed. He reached up and pulled her off so she could join him on the floor, realizing it was probably a bad move when she sat up on top of him.

Her thighs straddled his hips and her hair caressed his face, she had her hands on the floor on either side of his head, and her eyes bore into his. He took a breath and caught a whiff of her scent; he leaned up on his elbows, his face settled into the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply and almost sighed with pleasure at her smell. She smelled like fields of flowers and fresh rain.

She shivered and turned her head to press a kiss to his temple, he leaned back and brought his lips near hers, stopping only a hairs breathe away.

He was about to close in when suddenly she pulled back, sitting all the way up, staring angrily at the wall. "What is it?" He was worried that she didn't want to give into him.

"The Emerald is calling me. I have to go." She stood and went to the door, not giving him a chance to stop her. He stood and hurried out the door, trying to follow her but he didn't see her. She was gone.

He went back into her room and put his boots back on, putting her back as it was, then left.

…………..

"How did they find out?"

"The viewer is stronger then I realized, that as well as your little display with the Tin man yesterday. You need to be more discreet around the viewer from now on."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Just replace their memories again."

"No! They're my friends!"

"Jade, would you want to ruin the Princess's wedding with your deceit?"

"But this is just more deceit!"

"It's for their own good. Do not make me force you. I've done it before; I won't hesitate to do it again."

"……..Fine."

A butterfly fluttered into each of their rooms, save Wyatt's, and landed on each forehead. Quickly replacing the memory of the viewer's revelation with a memory of laughter and storytelling, the butterflies left and gathered in the maze. They clumped together and glowed for a second; the glow died to reveal the small tan, green haired girl.

Her green eyes ashamed and betrayed at the same time, she no longer wanted this job, this duty to the jewel. Not if it meant doing this to her friends.

She was going to go back to her room and try to sleep, but as she passed Cain's door she heard it open and turned. He simply looked at her, his eyes searching hers until she broke down and flung herself at him. She cried into him, tears not even coming, since she had cried so much lately. He closed the door and led her to his bed; he sat and listened to what she told him, his heart reaching out to her.

"I don't know what to do. I've tried to fight it. That only leads to the Emerald forcing me to do its bidding. It never asks me to do anything that can be qualified as evil, but after tonight, I don't know if its intentions are all that good." She just sat there, watching his thumb stroke her knuckles one by one.

"I'm not saying I agree with what it said, but I do agree that DG doesn't deserve to feel betrayed on her wedding day." Her eyes met his and he held up his other hand to stop her accusing glare. "I'm not saying you shouldn't tell them, I'm just saying that you should wait and see if the Emerald is really trustworthy or not. And even if it is, after DG and Jeb get back, we'll sit everyone down and explain what is going on. Okay?"

She nodded and then got a confused look. "We?" He smiled and nodded, his hand coming up to push back her forest colored locks. He looked down and noticed how dirty her dress had become, he stood and walked over to his dresser, pulling out one of his shirts he handed it to her and pointed toward the bathroom. "You can stay in here tonight. If you want to that is."

She smiled at his slightly bashful stance, one hand his pocket, the other scratching the back of his head. She had never seen him look more attractive, his shirt halfway unbuttoned, his face light by the soft light of the lamp, he looked younger, more like a nervous boy than the smooth Tin man that she knew him to be. She stood and clutched the shirt to her chest as she walked to the bathroom.

He blew out the breath he hadn't known he was holding and proceeded to finish undressing. He had heard her walking down the hall as he readied himself for bed, he had opened his door only to say goodnight, but upon seeing her eyes and her sagged shoulders, he simply stared. Waiting for the breakdown he knew was coming, he was all too eager to lead her into his room.

He had just pulled on his sleeping pants when the door to his bathroom opened and the cutest thing he had ever seen walked out. His shirt swallowed her, the bottom of it coming a few inches above her knees and the sleeves fell over her fingertips. She was about to walk out when she turned back and grabbed her dress and shoes, setting them on a chair near the bed she looked up and caught him staring.

"It's a little big." He laughed as she tried to scratch her head when she noticed that the sleeve was in her way. He walked over and rolled both the sleeves up to her wrists, and then he noticed her eyes fixated on his bare chest. She yearned to reach out and feel the soft blond curls, to taste those broad shoulders, to feel the weight of him ontop of her. She had thought about it so much lately, thought about accepting his girth, showing him passion, and show him exactly what it was like to be adored. His ego puffed up a little as he saw the desire burning in her eyes; he reached out a hand and brushed her hair to side, then lowering his head to her throat, he inhaled her scent and placed a kiss just below her ear.

He led her to the bed and waited for her to climb in before following; he pulled her into his arms and covered her lips with his. Finally getting the kiss he had been longing for, his hand caressed the small of her back as the other weaved itself into her hair. Her lips parted and her tongue darted out, flicking at his bottom lip, he allowed her entrance and they began a dance for dominance. Her hands tenderly rubbing the soft short hair on his head before moving over his well built chest and broad shoulders After a while they came up for air and both agreed that sleep was needed, so giving him one last kiss, she turned over and snuggled backwards into him, his arms wrapped around her middle and he happily nuzzled his face into her hair.

Both drifted off to sleep, hoping that the moment would last forever.

………………..

'So she wants to defy me. I gave her new life and she wants to defy me. Well that just won't do.'

…………………………….

(A/N: There you have it, a very long chapter. My fingers and back are very angry with me. Yes, I changed Billie's name, but it was required for the story, by the way Billie was short for Belinda. Hope you liked it!

Read and Review please!)


	9. Chapter 9

(A/N: sorry it took me a while to update, I was really sick. I hope you like this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Jade/Billy and the other people you don't recognize.)

…………………

The wedding was set to start at midday, now it was only dawn, and everyone was still fast asleep. Their new memories set in place and the old ones gone.

Jade stood on the balcony, not wanting to welcome the day as most would; she had been called again in the middle of the night, a poor soul once again needed her help. As she had reformed on Cain's balcony, she saw him watching her, his eyes not scorning her, not judging her, just watching. She had crawled back into bed and just laid there, warm in his arms she felt safe and protected from the outside world.

Unfortunately, the outside world wasn't what she needed to be shielded from, it was her own mind that was beginning to attack her, the Emerald was becoming more powerful, and the pulls she felt every time it called her were becoming more painful. All she could hope for was that soon she could tell her friends of the stranger in her mind and then she would be free again.

"Time to get up. You've got a wedding to help with."

She sighed and looked up into those perfect blue eyes. "Can't I just lay here for another hour or two?" he shook his head and all of a sudden a grin spread over his face. Something in her gut told her that she should be frightened right about now.

His fingers were at her sides before she could think to pull back, and the laughter that she had forgotten existed, bubbled up out of her as she squirmed underneath the Tin man. He continued his assault until she looked almost ready to wet herself; he finally pulled back and watched her smiling face.

"Still want to stay? I can go for another hour or two if you really want." His grin had become a full-blown smile and he marveled at her effortless grace. Even now, with her hair sprawled out beneath her like a fan, his shirt that swallowed her had inched up her thighs, her cheeks red and glowing, and her eyes full of life, like they had been before, before the battle, before the Emerald; she was flawless and elegant.

"You're right it is time for me to get up. If I don't I'm gonna wind up pissing on your bed." She grinned at him and he saw a spark of Billy still in her. He watched as she stood and gathered her dress and shoes from the day before, and after returning in them, she was about to give his shirt back but he shook his head and smiled.

Jade bent over him and kissed him goodbye before taking her leave quietly. She looked around; making sure no one would see her and proceeded to sneak back to the servant's quarters.

……………

Everyone had been running around most of the morning making sure that everything was perfect, or near enough. DG had been fussing over the cake, the flowers, the seating, and just about everything, until her bridesmaids ushered her back into her room to get ready.

"DG, you have to calm down, this is your big day, all you have to do is walk down that aisle, and say 'I do'. Okay? Let everyone else worry about the other stuff." Az continued to try to calm down her nerve-racked sister, while Arianna and Jade put the last touches on her dress and hair.

DG's dress had been a big deal for her mother and sister, they had wanted it to be perfect, and it was. It was a halter dress that hugged her top half well, while the bottom flared out like a ball gown and the beading at the back drew attention the train. Her hair was a neat pile of curls atop her head with long corkscrew curls trailed down her bare back.

The Queen sat in a chair near Az and her sister, a smile curled on her pale pink lips, she hadn't looked this happy in annuals. Jade went over to a table in the corner, where the bouquets were kept; she stopped and looked back at the happy faces of the royal family.

'I have no right to be here. I lied and deceived them; I have no right to partake in their happiness.' Jade looked at herself in the full-length mirror that sat in front of her. The dress that matched Az and Arianna's was a soft lavender color, it was a halter dress like DG's but the bottom of it just flowed down, it didn't flare, it just hung off of her hips. Her own hair was twisted up with the bottom curls hanging down slightly, a lot like DG's hair was. As she watched the reflection, she caught a glimpse of the girl she use to be.

The wild eyed, less than innocent, caution to the wind girl she once was. However as she turned, her reflection once again became the Emerald's carrier, the creature that did its bidding, the woman she no longer recognized. She rejoined them and handed out bouquets, Glitch poked his head in about ten minutes later and told the ceremony was about to start.

…………

The Queen and Ahamo had happily watched their youngest marry the man she loved, both were thankful that such happiness could be found after such hard times. Many of the guests had wept, and cheered and laughed. All happy that such a union was taking place.

The entire ceremony had come and gone, all had been well, and everyone was happily making their way to the reception. Jade and Az were discussing the décor at the moment, both admiring what had been done to the once dark ballroom. Its dark wall color and decorum had been transformed into a bright and glittering space, the windows that lined the east wall all opened out into the garden, inviting the guests to lounge out in the cool spring breeze.

Az and Jade watched as Glitch asked for a dance from the bride, he then dazzled everyone with his skill in dance, winking at jade as they passed. She laughed as she acknowledged a fellow dancer. "He just keeps on surprising me." Az's eyes twinkled, never leaving the Queen's adviser. Jade could clearly see the sparkle of love unspoken in her eyes; she knew that the Emerald would be calling on her soon to help the older princess.

Jade left Az's side and went to the table with the champagne. Suddenly pain wracked through her body, her hand flew to the edge of the table to steady herself, knocking over one of the glasses in the process. Cain looked toward the sound, fearing an attack, and spotted Jade hunched over, eyes squeezed shut.

She regained her composure and swiftly slipped out of a door near a secluded corner. She went straight to a closet near the stairs, needing to be alone as fast as possible.

"What is it?" she summoned the image of the shining stone, it flickered and flared angrily, but stayed silent.

"What did you call me for?"

"The Princess needs you."

She almost smiled, she was starting to recognize the call of a soul. "Azkadellia. I thought she might need our help."

"Our help? I thought you didn't approve of what I ask you to do." Jade blinked, she hadn't thought an Emerald could feel anger.

"I never said that, I just didn't understand that you do what is best, no matter the cost. I understand that now." She had taken Cain's words to heart; she would stay on its good side and continue to look for any signs of evil doing.

"So you're not going to tell them about their new memories?"

Jade did her best to keep her straight face, but the surprise that the jewel had known about that was a bit overwhelming. "No. I wanted to, but I decided against it. You know what is best and I'm going to trust that."

"Good, now go and help the princess. She needs it." Jade smiled as the image disappeared. As its presence left her completely, she allowed her heart to beat, as it wanted to, rapidly. She leaned against the wall behind her and tried to catch her breath. She hadn't expected a meeting with the Emerald to make her that nervous. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, barely registering the sound of the door opening and closing.

Only when she felt a hand brush a hair away from her face did she open her eyes and look into those blue eyes that made her knees weak. She sighed and allowed him to gather her into his arms; he rubbed soothing circles over her lower back as she thought over what had just happened. She could no longer trust her own mind, she was no longer free to think without the worry of the Emerald overhearing, and she was no longer free.

…………

Cain and Jade went back to the party after she told him of her new orders, he had smiled and said that the two deserved it, and then made his way over to his son.

"Az, can I talk to you?"

Az joined her in the corner after grabbing a drink off of a passing tray.

"Are you okay? You seem a little…distant." She began her well-practiced persona. It was how she approached many of the souls she helped; she would come across them one way or another, as a traveler in need of shelter, or one who had lost her way. One way or another she would befriend them and ask them what the problem was, and then she would fix what ever the problem might be.

"I'm fine…for the most part." Jade gave her a small smile, willing her to continue. "It's just a little difficult to enjoy life when most of the people around you are afraid of you or if they hate you. It is just not fair, they don't understand that none of those things that I did were me, they were the witch. I just wish someone would forgive me enough to give me a chance." Az looked at Jade in surprise that she had opened up so easily.

"Well, I don't know about everyone else, but there is one person that recognizes that it wasn't you. He sees you for the princess you are, not the sorceress that you were. Maybe you should give him a chance in return." Jade smiled knowingly as the older girl's cheeks turn a pretty shade of red. Az looked over her shoulder to where she knew Ambrose would be, only to find his eyes turning away from her as hers turned towards him.

She smiled and nodded thanks and glided over to him, asking for a dance with a coy smile and a light blush. Jade watched with a smile of her own as Glitch twirled the giggling princess to the middle of the dance floor, his arms encircled her, and the beginnings of a lifelong bond grew as the couple twirled once more.

"Nice job."

Goose bumps rose on her arms and she looked over her shoulder to see her Tin man standing precariously close. She blushed and looked back to the dance floor, pretending not to notice how the little hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention, or how his hot breath caressed over her bare back, or how she could feel the warmth that rolled off him. That warmth made her realize that the cool night's air had set in and the goose bumps weren't just because of his proximity

Apparently, he had noticed to because suddenly his jacket slide onto her shoulder, swallowing her much like his shirt had done that morning. She smiled back at him, almost giving into the pull that his lips had on her, but her mind wouldn't let her, not here. As she looked forward again, she silently cursed herself when she saw that they had the viewer's attention.

…………

"It's good to see our daughters happy again."

Ahamo took his wife's hand and kissed it in agreement, he too had noticed Az and Glitches dance of twirls and laughs.

"It's also good to see so many seeds of love blooming in this castle again. Remember how it was before the witch? There had been so many romances going on here. Its good too feel love fill these walls again." He smiled at his wife and nodded his head toward the corner of the room, where Cain stood behind the blushing bridesmaid. The Queen's smile widened as the young servant girl was enveloped in the Tin man's jacket.

"Yes it is a good feeling indeed."

………….

As the party started to wind down, and the guests began to clear out, Wyatt's shoulders finally sagged with relief. The day had gone just as planned and no one had attacked them, today had been a good day.

A shot suddenly rang out and screams exploded out of the remaining guests.

"Sorry I missed the party."

…………………….

(A/N: sorry if its kind of short. Well you know the drill, read and review please!)


	10. Chapter 10

(A/N: hope you like this chappy

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Billy/Jade and the other people you don't recognize.)

……………………..

"I got held up."

More shots were heard as Cain flipped a nearby table and used it as a shield. Jade, who had been at his side with Raw and Cyrus, now crouched along with the three males. She poked her head out discreetly and searched for the royal family, she finally spotted them hiding in the curl of one of the spiral staircases.

"Their fine, their hiding but it's only a matter of time before their found." She turned to Cain who was checking the bullets in his gun, currently very glad that he had decided to strap it on this morning. "Watch them and make sure they know not to get themselves found." He ordered Jade, and then looked out to the invader.

"Come out Princess. Hell, why doesn't the whole family come out here so I can congratulate ya'll." A smile stretched across the old familiar face. Jonas Shooter.

He had been in the resistance with Jeb, although when the fight had ended he had been one of the ones that didn't believe that Azkadellia had been possessed. An unknown movement had formed not long ago, he had joined them with an idea, he just needed the opportunity, the wedding was the exact kind of opportunity he had needed.

"Why don't you bring out the Witch and the Emerald, and then we'll see just how reformed she is."

Jade could see both of the princesses' trying to restrain Jeb and Glitch from giving away their hiding place. She could here Cain growling beside her as Cyrus checked his gun as well, as she shed Cain's jacket. He turned to her and handed her the gun from his ankle, giving her a firm nod, as a way of saying 'don't shoot me with that'. She nodded back and continued to watch the scene play out.

"Either you come out here, or I'll go in and find you!" Jonas cocked his gun and took a step in one direction, which just happened to be the right one. Jeb stood suddenly and stepped toward Shooter, hands raised. Cain also stood his gun no longer in his hand, but in Cyrus's, he stood beside his son, not wanting to let Jeb be killed without his old man.

"No…dammit." Jade and DG looked at each other with hopeless looks and then turned back.

"Shooter. Why are you doing this?" Jeb took a step toward, only to back up when three of Shooter's men aimed their guns at him.

"Well, if it isn't the ever trusting Jeb and Wyatt Cain. You two must be the biggest fools, you didn't even give a second thought before trusting that Witch, did you? Not one thought about your mother, or your wife." Jade could see fire burn in their eyes at the mention of Adora. She could see the murderous look that Wyatt was sending to the younger man in front of him.

"You don't know anything about my mother, or Azkadellia." Shooter's face contorted as he heard her name.

"You see men! He doesn't even realize that he has been deceived! This is why it's up to us! Bring it forward!" Two women came in behind him, holding something in a black cloth between them.

"Lets see if this brings her out." The women stood in front of him and uncovered a small glass bowl, the small object in the bowl made Cain's breath catch in his throat.

From behind the table a loud gasp was heard.

Shooter motioned to it and three of his men went over, successfully unarming Cyrus. Two of the men dragged Jade out and threw her in front of him.

"Who is this?"

………….

The minute the women had uncovered the bowl, Jade had felt as if her heart was going to rip out of her chest. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her as she clutched her chest. Cyrus had been knocked down from behind and tackled, his gun flying across the room. She quickly hid the small gun that he had given her, thankfully they had not caught sight of it. They hauled her up, dragged her to the center of the room, and threw her to the ground.

Her head swam as she realized what exactly was in that small glass bowl.

A small shred of bark sat, glittering with the shard of Emerald that was embedded in it.

"Who is this?"

"She's nobody, leave her alone!" She heard Cain fight against some of Shooter's men. Two of them pulled her to her knees and gripped her hair, allowing Shooter to see her face. He noticed how she was gasping and shivering, he looked at the bowl and then back at her, then he grabbed the piece of bark and brought it closer to her.

Cain fought even harder as a scream ripped through Jade. The magic covering her markings faded and a collective gasp spread threw the room. Her secret was revealed.

"I knew it! I knew the Emerald didn't just disappear!" he pulled the bark back and a grin twisted across his face, one of psychotic pleasure.

She let herself go limp in their grip, her body felt as if it was being pulled in all directions, she couldn't stop shaking. As she took note of everyone's staring, she let a sob escape her, this wasn't how she wanted them to find out. She was a being of power, and now everyone knew it. Shooter suddenly looked from the bark in his hands to the girl kneeling before him, her head hung and her green curls covered her face.

"No! Shooter you don't have to do this! Azkadellia was possessed, it wasn't just a lie! You have to believe me!" Jade barely recognized the desperation in his voice, the pain in her body almost too much for her to bear; her vision was going in and out.

"Shut up! I don't care about that anymore! I found what I wanted." He grinned down at Jade, not noticing the way his comrades were looking at him.

"Boss, I thought you wanted to restore the kingdom. You know, uncover the Princess as a fraud, as the Sorceress." One of the men holding Cain spoke to his boss, giving Cain the opportunity to get loose. He elbowed one in the face and then knocked the two of them together, rendering them unconscious. The men holding Jade up dropped her to contain the Tin man, but they were disposed of soon as Jeb and Cain both began fighting their way out.

Raw roared out of his hiding spot, as well as Glitch and Ahamo, they fought to distract the invaders as DG lead her sister and mother up the stairs and out of harms way. DG looked back in time to see Shooter stalk towards the near unconscious Jade. She saw Cain and Jeb both doing well but neither noticed the danger that Jade was in.

"Cain! Get him!" she pointed toward Shooter and then turned back to the way she had been headed, knowing that if she got herself killed she would never hear the end of it.

…………….

'Get up!'

'I can't, it hurts to much…'

'You have to get up, Jade!'

'Wyatt….'

Jade's eyes closed as she plunged into a world of darkness.

'Finally! Well this works too.'

The Emerald filled her body and she began to glow and pulsate. Her eyes snapped open and nothing but green could be seen. She stood and fixed her eyes on Shooter whose approach halted as raw, untainted, unrestricted power flowed through the room. All actions came to a stop as they watch the girl walk towards Shooter.

Cain couldn't see any of Billy at the moment, she was all Emerald, every bit graceful and inhuman. He watched as she stopped right in front of him, her hand came up and she was about to dispatch him, when he suddenly remembered the bark in his hands.

"NO!!!"

The sharp wood bit into her heart as it was shoved into her chest. Her eyes became her own and shock filled them. He quickly gripped the wood again and ripped it from her with a sickening slurp. The shard in the wood glowed as the rest of the Emerald was removed from her body as well.

"No…"

All Cain could do was watch as the woman he loved died, again.

However, even as she fell to the ground, the last bits of Emerald leaving her, Cain's hope sparked as he watched the harsh wound healed over.

Shooter plucked the full stone from the wood and laughed manically, as power flowed through his body. Everyone backed away in horror as he began to glow, his twisted smile stretched across his face.

A shot rang out.

Shooter's eyes got wide as his smile fell, his hand coming up to his head, feeling the bullet hole before he fell back. The Emerald slid out of his hand across the room and hit Cain's boot. He picked it up and looked at Jonas's shooter.

Billy sat there, out of breath, but alive, the gun in her hands still smoking.

………………..

After intruders that were left were hauled off, Cain and Billy were ordered to meet with the royal family in the library. Cain put a hand on her back, trying to calm her down, he was still just happy she was alive. They entered the library and he could tell that they were not happy with Billy. All of them, Raw, Glitch and Jeb included, sat in front of the fire, their memories had returned and she knew right away, what they would accuse her of.

"Sit."

The Queen's voice was sharp. Billy offered up a small smile to Cain and sat in the chair they offered. She looked around the room, at the accusing glares, and could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes.

"I can explain." She bit her lip as her voice shook the slightest bit. She knew they were angry; they had every right to be.

"You had better." DG looked at her harshly, demanding an explanation. As Billy looked into her friend's eyes, she almost broke down; she had betrayed one of the only friends she ever had, she didn't deserve another chance.

She told them her side to the story, the entire story, from minute she came to O.Z., and the tears that flowed down her cheeks just couldn't seem to stop.

"I don't know why I'm still alive; I guess the Emerald thought I should live. I'll understand if you think otherwise." She hung her head, noticing for the first time that her hair was still the soft green it had been, that seemed like one thing that wasn't gonna go away. For them most part she was back to who she use to be, besides all the knowledge she had now, she was the same clumsy, rebel that she use to be.

What she hadn't expected was the arms that wound around her. DG had stood, tears in her eyes, and hugged her friend; glad to have her back. She returned the hug as she finally looked up at the not so accusing eyes. She smiled and looked to Cain, but he was nowhere to be seen. She continued to hug and converse with the others, until Jeb and DG decided it was time for them to go on their honeymoon. Billy smiled, she now had her job back, her friends back as well as her mind, and it was now hers alone. She was free.

………….

After DG and Jeb left, Billy went in search of the missing Cain.

She searched for a good hour before she found him in an old dusty bedroom. As she walked in, she realized that it was the very same bedroom she had run off to when Raw had revealed her past to them, she almost forgot that it wasn't that long ago. He was facing away from her on the balcony.

She put her hand on his shoulder, taking it away when his muscles tensed under her fingers, and asked him what is wrong.

"Shooter. Something he said, it just bothered me I guess."

Her heart suddenly began pumping painfully as she realized what was bothering him.

"Adora."

She spoke the name with great care, whispering it as if it were a prayer. She hadn't hoped he would forget about her, she had just hoped he wouldn't be torn about it. She knew he still loved his wife, that she would always be in his heart, and very possibly she would always be the only one he cared for. She excepted that, and no matter how much it hurt, she wouldn't ask him to betray her.

Billy was in love with the man before her, but he was and always will be in love with another. Fresh tears made their way down her cheeks; she sighed brokenly and turned to leave. Turning her back, she clutched her chest and prayed to anyone listening for the pain to stop. After having her heart pierced twice, she would have thought that the physical would hurt more than the emotional.

She was wrong.

….

Cain had been standing at that balcony for an hour, just looking out at the stars. He had time to think of many things. About Billy, about Adora, about everything.

He still loved his wife very much, but she was gone, and he had accepted that. He would keep on loving his wife, for as long as he lived, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be happy. He was still coming to terms with the fact that Billy cared for him, and that he deserved that. But he was starting to get it.

Adora was gone, Billy wasn't. Adora would want him to be happy; he knew that she wouldn't want him to wallow as he had been. So he decided to be happy.

He had heard Billy speak her name; he could practically hear the tears that fell from the girl's eyes.

He waited until she was at the door; she hesitated.

"Don't go."

He turned to look at her, back still to him, but he could see her shoulders as they shook slightly. She didn't quite believe what she was hearing.

"I thought I lost you twice. Don't make this a third."

Suddenly she turned and sprinted across the room, her arms went around his neck and her feet left the ground. Their lips met and the world around them faded away.

This was right where she belonged.

…………..

(A/N: there will be an epilogue, don't worry. Hope you liked it, thanks for reading!

Read and review please!)


	11. Epilogue

(A/N: here's the last chapter in the story, I hope you like. I loved writing it and I hope ya'll loved reading it. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Billie and all the other people you don't recognize. I do not own any of the characters from Tin Man.)

…………………

Billy sighed in frustration for the third time in the past hour. She couldn't take it anymore, not only was it painful, but she couldn't take that sick feeling she kept getting. As well as they fact that this was suppose to be a fun and happy time.

She was not happy.

She growled as she tried to get up, clutching onto the arm of the couch, desperately trying to stand, she was going to kill her husband.

"Need help?" she glared at the tall, broad frame standing in the doorway, a smirk that just oozed male pride sat calmly on his lips. She glared even harder when she failed to stand. Cain walked over to his wife of a year and a half and sat down next to her, had he been a lesser man he would have cowered at the fire in her glare but since he was Wyatt Cain, he just chuckled and kissed her cheek. Besides, he knew the reason for such an angry look from his wife.

Hormones.

He laid his hand on her swollen belly and smiled, once again looking up at her, her anger melted as she saw the fatherly pride and the husbandly love in his eyes.

"This is entirely your fault you know. Next time you get to carry the baby, and piss every five minutes, and the swollen ankles and the sore back. All of it is yours." She placed her hand over his and waited for a kick.

"I would, darlin'. If only it were possible." He stood with a smile and helped her to her feet, laying a hand on her back to steady her sway.

"Guess whose back from their vacation." She opened her mouth to guess but found she didn't have to, the aforementioned couple walked into the large library. Billie smiled and opened her arms wide for her old friend.

DG and Jeb had been away at the northern island for the past six months, helping the Queen with some royal matters, they hadn't seen each other since before Billie started showing. The younger couple had been married for two years now and already had a little baby girl, Caryn Adora Cain, blonde like her father with the lavender eyes of her grandmother. Caryn, who was turning a year old in a month, was happily nestled in her father's arms as they walked in.

"Whoa! I would have thought you were shooting blanks by now, old man." Jeb slapped a hand on his fathers shoulder and took in Billie's very enlarged belly. "So does this mean my kid will have an aunt or uncle to play with?" He grinned as Wyatt gave him a hard look, clearly saying that he was not amused.

"I might be old, but I'm still your father." His comment lost some of its fervor as Billie giggled and began encouraging Jeb's remark on his father's age. "Don't mind the grumpy old man, he's just cranky because we can't have sex until the baby is born." Wyatt pulled down his hat, failing to cover the blush that spread across his cheeks. Billie just giggled at his expense and pulled on the front of his shirt, beckoning him downward for a kiss to make up for the joke.

Cain regained his smile and looked at his granddaughter, lifting her out of Jeb's arms and twirling her around. He always enjoyed hearing that little squeal of laughter, it made him think of everything good. A little girls laugh to him was like May flowers, or puppy kisses, or butterflies, or the sweet smell of spring. It also reminded him of Adora, and as he held the little girl that seemed to be made up of laughter, he sent a silent prayer up to his former wife.

'She's just like you.'

He planted a kiss on the girl's cheek and smiled even wider when she gave one back, then handed her back to her father. Jeb kissed his little girl; much like his father had, and gave Wyatt a one armed hug before walking towards the door. "Well we still haven't seen my mom yet so we'll leave you two alone, but later we need some girl time." DG patted Billie's stomach once more and hugged them both before following her husband out the door.

"I can't believe it's already been two years. Seems like just yesterday we were fighting for our lives at their wedding." She chuckled and allowed her husband to lead her to their bedroom. "Just means your getting old." He grinned down at her sour face as he sat her on the bed.

"You're the old one, I'm still in my twenties." She pulled his hat off and threw it across the room, then pulled him down next to her. "Besides don't you know that saying? Time flies when you're having fun." She smiled and kissed him, only to pull back when she suddenly felt a warm and very wet feeling between her legs, and it wasn't that good feeling like on her wedding night.

"Wyatt…"

He took notice of the clear liquid now dripping onto the floor and started getting a panicky feeling.

"Well at least this isn't the first time I get to feel completely useless."

…………….

"Mommy!!!"

A little girl about eight just watched as the little boy she had been playing with, ran off. She sighed and stood, decided that she should tell her side of the story before they grounded her again. 'It's not my fault he's so whiny.'

"Darien? What's wrong?" Their mother's familiar green hair came into view as they emerged from the garden. Dianna walked out calmly, so much like her father at that moment, and rolled her eyes at her brother's sobs. Her aunt Caryn, only months older was more like a sister than an aunt, sidled up next to her.

"You're gonna get in trouble again, if you don't stop tormenting him." Dia just looked at the older blond next to her, it was as much Caryn's fault as it was her own, and Caryn hadn't even been in the garden at the time. Her little brother had tripped over a stone as they had been walking, and since he was still mad about the last prank, he would no doubt blame her, saying she had pushed him.

"Dianna, come here."

Caryn tried to smother her laughter with her hand, but failed terribly.

"You too, Caryn."

The older girls laughter halted as both girls made their way to their parents who had been lounging out in the sun while the children played.

DG and Jeb sat on one side of the table, her bare feet resting in his lap, while Wyatt sat with Billie in his lap. The little six-year-old boy was snuggled in his mother's lap, with a smug look on his face.

"Darien says you pushed him. Is that true Dia?" Billie had gotten very good at her look of death over the years, she need only give her children that look, and the truth would come spilling out. Her youngest, Conner, who had been playing near them, looked up in curiosity; although his three-year-old mind simply wanted to know why his older brother was crying like his sister sometimes did.

"No! He tripped and fell. The only reason he's blaming me is that he's still mad from the honey prank. Which wasn't entirely my fault." She gave a pointed glance to her left where Caryn was trying her best to look innocent. Caryn didn't have a little brother to torment at the moment since both her younger twin brothers and her baby sister were at the northern island with their grandparents for the week. She had declined the offer, wanted to stay in the warm climate of Finaqua.

"Both of you should go up to your rooms and just sit there until dinner." Darien's smug look grew into a full-blown grin and he made the mistake of letting his crybaby cover slip.

"HA!!"

His little finger pointed at the two girls, convinced that they finally got what they deserved.

"Nevermind."

His grin faltered as he slowly looked up to his parents, Wyatt's eyebrow cocked up in a look of suspicion. Billie sighed, set her son down, waving her hand, and allowed them all to go and play once more.

"You know, I figured my brother would be less of a crybaby than my sister. Guess I was wrong." Billie glared at her son in law across the table as she felt laughter rumble up on her husband's chest.

"Don't encourage him. My son is not a crybaby." Wyatt could practically feel his wife resisting the urge to stick her tongue out at his oldest son, which only made him laugh more. He finally stifled his laughter when Billie smacked him in the chest.

"You're no help at all, you know that?" he smiled and nodded, then pulled her down for a kiss; letting his hand wander under the table. It had rested on her shin before, but it crept up and slid in between her thighs, he teased her only slightly before pulling back, hoping that no one at the table had noticed his hand moving under her skirt.

"So, as I was saying before the children's interruption…"

….

Wyatt sighed and fell back onto the bed, he had finally gotten his three stubborn children to sleep, and now it was time for a well-earned night with his wife. If only he could find her.

"Billie?" He called out in the empty room, when she didn't respond he got up and was about to go in search for her when he heard the bathroom door open. She walked out, her nose in a book, her soft emerald hair tumbling down in waves she had finally freed it from the braid she'd had it in, and looked all of the sultry minx she was in one of his smaller shirts. It was held together by only one button, just below her bust, and as she sat on the bed, it rode up her thighs.

He made his way towards her, while shedding his vest, shirt, boots, and belt. She had yet to notice his presence, but finally did when he took the book out of her hands and kneeled in front of her. He placed open mouth kisses on her milky thighs making his way towards the hem of the shirt she wore.

There was no mistaking the want in his eyes, or the meaning of those kisses, so she took her book back and placed it on the nightstand. She leaned down and covered his lips with her own, let her worries go, wanting a well-deserved night with her husband.

He had found out early on that she had as much of an appetite as he did, and he had been pleasantly surprised, since they had waited until their wedding night, that his wife was a hellcat in bed.

He pushed her onto her back, unbuttoning the shirt and letting it fall open; he kissed her lips once more then trialed down her throat, only stopping to make a mark on her collar bone. She giggled at the pulling sensation, he pulled back to survey the dark mark starting to form on her skin, grinning he continued his journey downward. He eased off her underwear and tossed it behind him, he sat up slightly to look at the goddess before him.

Her eyes half lidded and her lips already swollen, her hair was spread like a fan under her, making her look all the more ethereal; they had found that the green would never go away, it even passed down to one of their kids. She lay there bare before him, all except the shirt that only served to cover her arms, and he kissed her with a passion that they knew would never fade.

He pulled back and kissed the tip of her nose, smiling as she giggled, then gave a look of promises.

………….

DG sat on the couch with her sister, laughter filled the room as Jeb came back in from putting his daughter to bed. He plopped down beside his wife and watched as their giggling finally died down.

"Did I miss something? Cause whatever it is, it must be pretty hilarious." He had almost been afraid to ask, he knew how those two were with their girl talk. It was even worse when Billie was with them, then even his father would rather face Zero than listen in on that.

"Az was just telling me about one of her dates with Glitch. It would seem that he is quite the romantic." DG leaned back against her husband and took comfort in the arm he had wrapped around her. Az was lounging on the other side of the couch with her feet in her baby sisters lap. Glitch and the older Princess had finally gotten engaged about two years ago and then married last year. The Ambrose inside of the Queen's advisor had been the one to make them wait so long, it was his propriety nature.

"Yes, he's also quite the comedian. Especially when he doesn't mean to be. I was recollecting on one of our date together, I remember that at one point during dinner, he had tried to smoothly pour me another glass of wine and it wound up in my lap. Well I decided that since I needed to go to my room to change anyway, I brought into my room, and we made love for first time. His rhythm came in handy that night; I never thought he would be like….that. But wow, I was impressed." She and DG fell into a fit of laughter as they looked at Jeb appalled face.

"Father was right, I should just never, ever ask." He kept muttering that as he stood and practically ran from the room, making the girls laugh even harder.

………

Jeb shook off his disgust once more as he walked to his bedroom; he was hoping that a good scrub of his eyeballs would get the images of a rhythmic Glitch out of his brain.

As he walked past his father's room, he heard something. Being a Cain, he couldn't just brush off strange noises, although sometimes he wished he could. As he pressed his ear to the door, he hadn't thought he could be more disgusted.

He was wrong.

"Wyatt…oh….harder…"

Jeb pulled away from the door as if it was suddenly covered in fire, then proceeded to run to his room, trying to block out what he had just heard.

………………

Wyatt stared at his wife, as he did most nights, just watching her, making sure she wouldn't leave in the middle of the night. After almost ten years, some would have resolved that she would be there when he woke, but him being a Cain, he had to make sure. He had watched her almost die twice, so he had to make sure she was still there, he knew he couldn't lose her.

He smiled as she curled into him in her sleep, she had been worn out by the time they had finished, he always made sure that she was worn out. He had beamed with male pride when she had said that age was making him better, she had laughed at him for the grin he wore, but that didn't diminish the fact that he could still make her happy.

He was scared that one day he would fail to make her happy, he would say the wrong thing, or forget to do something for her birthday, then she would see that he didn't deserve her. He just hoped that day would never come.

He remembered one of the fights they had that made him think that she would leave him.

_ He had stormed into their room after seeing her flirting with one of the kitchen staff. Anyone who knew him knew he was a jealous man and anyone who didn't, were bound to find out the hard way._

_He walked in and slammed the door behind him, making her jump and turn to him._

"_What the hell was that?!"_

"_What?" She didn't even know what she did to him, she made him crazier than he ever thought possible._

"_You were flirting with one of the cooks. Don't deny it, I saw you. So what an old man is no longer good enough, now you need someone your own age, right? Just felt like trying me out for a while, huh?" He couldn't stop the words from falling out of his mouth, he hadn't really meant any of it, he just felt like he might lose her, and he felt like like killing something._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Don't act all innocent! Tell me the truth!"_

"_The truth? The truth is your being an idiot. I wasn't flirting with anyone, I was asking him to prepare your favorite meal the way you like! You ass! You actually thought I would leave you for some little boy! How stupid are you?" She stood her head held high and her stance defiant._

"_What? Why were asking him to do that?" He was shocked out of his rage, but he was still suspicion._

"_It's your birthday. Don't you remember? By the way, I don't appreciate your accusations. We're married, we're suppose to trust each other not accuse each other." She smacked him hard in the chest muttering "You ass…"_

_She was about to turn away but he had swept her up into his arms and went on to show her how sorry he was, and how much he loved her. _

He placed a kiss on the pale shoulder in front of him and tightened his embrace around her. She mumbled something and her eyes fluttered open, she looked up at him, and his heart swelled.

"Hey there cowboy. Why aren't you asleep?" She reached up and started playing with his ear, he couldn't have been happier.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't going anywhere." He had said it so low that she almost couldn't make it out, but as she did she pulled him closer and planted kisses all along his jaw line, on his face and hairline.

"I'm not going anywhere. If not for the kids and you then for this at least." Her soft smile turned into a smirk as she slid her hand between them inside his sleep pants and grabbed him. He sucked in a breath and rolled over so that he could settle himself between her legs. She took her hand away and he ground himself into her, unfortunately they had both dressed, him in his pants and her in her underwear and his shirt. He kissed her and continued to grind against her, as he pulled his lips away he pushed his hips against her a certain way and she moaned and wrapped a leg around him.

Suddenly the door flew open and a small green blob hurtled towards them.

Wyatt easily caught his youngest before any damage was done, and watched as his other two children stood by the door. He hadn't even noticed the thunder and the rain until he realized why Conner had hurled himself into their bed. Billie gave him a look that told him that they would continue later, and then waved her children over and into the bed. Darien's white blond hair and bright green eyes stood out in the dark bedroom, while Dianna's strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes seemed to glow. However, Conner's green hair and turquoise eyes made him the oddity of the three.

As their children crawled into the bed and snuggled under the covers, they smiled to each other and laid down, both knew that their lives were complete.

This was how it was suppose to be.

…………….

(A/N: there you have it, the epilogue. I'm finally done. I hope ya'll liked it. well please read and review! Thanks for reading.)


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